Keir Starmer has blasted Reform for putting a “white supremacist” in charge of a council as he accused Nigel Farage of sowing “chaos and division”.

The Prime Minister lashed out at a string of scandals in Reform-run local authorities – saying voters had been “utterly let down”. Last week the party’s council leader in Staffordshire, Ian Cooper, stepped down after being accused of making racist remarks on social media.

And Mr Farage faces calls to sack Chris Parry, Reform’s mayoral candidate for Hampshire and the Solent, after he posted that Justice Secretary David Lammy should “go home” to the Caribbean where his “loyalties lie”.

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Nigel Farage came under attack over council chaos under Reform(Image: Parliament TV)

Mr Starmer went on the attack after Labour backbencher Jim Dickson – who represents Dartford in Kent – accused the Reform-led county council there of cutting vital vital services while raising taxes. He went on to suggest Reform’s Trump-style DOGE money-saving unit stood for “deluded, overconfident, gormless and embarrassing”.

Mr Dickson said: “Before May’s election Reform in Kent promised that they would improve services and cut taxes. Instead vital services to older people and those with a mental health condition provided by great organisations… is to be cut and taxes are going up.”

He went on: “Given the additional money for the county through the fair funding review, it’s beyond belief that Kent is cutting services the vulnerable people rely on them. And their so-called DOGE unit that we were told would eliminate waste actually stands for deluded, overconfident, gormless and embarrassing.”

The Prime Minister responded: “He sums up very well how his community has been utterly let down by Reform.” Referencing allegations of racism while Mr Farage was a schoolboy, the PM said: “Whilst the member for Clacton (Nigel Farage) is making excuses about his behavior at school, look at what his party are doing across the country.

“Chaos in Kent. In Hampshire the mayoral candidate says the deputy Prime Minister, a black British man born in this country, should go back to the Caribbean.

“In Staffordshire, Reform’s leader has been exposed as a white supremacist. It’s not a coincidence, Mr Speaker, because chaos and division is the member for Clacton’s life work.”

Mr Cooper’s Reform membership was revoked after past remarks on social media came to light. He quit as council leader and now sits as an independent member.

In November five Reform councillors were kicked out in Kent following the leak of leader Linden Kemkaran berating members.