Former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has branded the Prime Minister's attacks on Nigel Farage a "disaster" that serves only to promote the Reform UK leader as an alternative to Sir Keir Starmer's leadership.

Speaking to GB News, Kwarteng said: "Labour are terrified of Nigel Farage. I can't remember a time when the prime minister of this country with a huge majority, has targeted a leader of a minority party in parliament in such a personal way, and that says to me that they are very, very scared."

He added: "And whoever's advised him, I think it's a disaster for the PM because all you're doing is promoting Nigel Farage as an alternative to his failed Prime Ministership."

Kwarteng argued that Labour's fear of Farage was evident in the unprecedented nature of the Prime Minister's personal attacks.

Kwasi Kwarteng lashed out at the Prime Minister

"I can't remember a time when the prime minister of this country with a huge majority, has targeted a leader of a minority party in parliament in such a personal way," he said.

The former Chancellor suggested this approach was counterproductive, warning that by "putting up Nigel Farage as the main opponent, you're essentially dignifying Nigel Farage."

He noted a contradiction in Labour's strategy: "On the one hand, you can't say, well, he's a maverick and a clown or whatever else they use, and at the same time, say he's the main challenger."

Kwarteng described the targeting as evidence that Labour were "very, very scared" of Reform's growing influence.

The former Chancellor joined Martin Daubney on GB News

The Prime Minister's attacks came during a speech at a business in north-west England, where Sir Keir accused Farage of "fantasy" economics and likened him to former Prime Minister Liz Truss.

"In opposition we said [Liz Truss] would crash the economy and leave you to pick up the bill," Starmer said. "We were right. And we were elected to fix that mess. Now in government, we are once again fighting the same fantasy – this time from Farage."

Sir Keir claimed Farage was making "the exact same bet" as Truss, "that you can spend tens of billions on tax cuts without a proper way of paying for it."

He accused the Reform leader of "using your family finances, your mortgage, your bills as a gambling chip on his mad experiment."

Kwasi Kwarteng said Starmer's attack on Farage was a 'disaster'

Despite his criticism of Labour's strategy, Kwarteng questioned Reform's economic credibility, saying: "I think [Reform] have got questions to answer. Essentially they're trying to do giveaways."

He expressed scepticism about Reform's funding plans: "I'm not sure just scrapping net zero and getting rid of DEI woke programmes will necessarily manage to fill that hole."

Kwarteng highlighted specific concerns about asylum policy costs, noting: "If you look at the asylum, he's saying we'll stop housing them. You're going to have to do something with them. Even if you send them back, that's going to cost money."

However, Kwarteng acknowledged Labour's declining fortunes: "At the same time, I think the Labour Party vote has completely cratered." He noted that whilst the Tories had fallen from 24 per cent to 18 per cent, "Labour got 35 per cent less than a year ago, and now they're in the low 20s."

Kwarteng warned that Labour's strategy of targeting Farage could backfire over the remaining four years of their term. "I'm very sad that the Tory party isn't doing better. But as people have said rightly, four years is a long time and be careful what you wish for," he said.

He suggested Labour risked exhausting their political ammunition prematurely: "If they try and draw their ammunition on Nigel and he's still at the top of the polls, they'll have nothing left." Kwarteng predicted that if Reform maintained current polling levels, "Labour will be a spent force."

The former Chancellor noted it was "very odd" that Labour were attacking Farage just 10 months after winning a huge majority, with four more years remaining in government.