Starmer concerned about 'challenge' of far right

Sir Keir Starmer has said delivering on the government's promises is the best way to deal with "the snake oil of populism and nationalism".

Speaking on a visit to Berlin, the prime minister said he was concerned about the "challenge" of far-right populism and the issue was something that "occupies my time".

In his first month in No 10, Sir Keir faced a wave of riots across England and Northern Ireland fuelled by far-right, anti-immigration sentiment and misinformation online.

The PM said his concern stemmed partly from this summer's unrest in the UK, as well as the situation in other European countries including France and Germany, which have seen far-right parties make significant gains.

Sir Keir travelled to Paris on Wednesday evening for the Paralympics Opening Ceremony, where he will also meet President Emmanuel Macron.

It comes after a visit to Berlin, where he began talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on a new co-operation agreement, covering issues including trade, energy security and tackling illegal immigration.

The meetings are part of the government's attempt to "reset" relations with Europe after Brexit.

President Macron dissolved the country's parliament following June's European elections, after the far-right National Rally topped the vote in France.

In Germany, the far-right anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 16% of the vote, beating Mr Scholz's centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Speaking to reporters in Berlin on Wednesday, Sir Keir said the UK needed to be "alive" to the challenge of populism and nationalism.

"I think that the challenge has to be met by democracy and by progressives, and we have to have a joint discussion about what that means across Europe and beyond, which I'm very keen to pursue with progressive parties," he said.

"And ultimately, I think that delivery and honesty is the best player dealing with the snake oil of populism and nationalism, which is why I set out the tough measures I did yesterday in my speech, but also why I'm absolutely determined that we're going to deliver on the promises that we've made."

He added: "It's about a disaffection in politics, the easy answer is appealing if people don't think there's a better answer, and so progressives have to provide the better answer."

Sir Keir previously condemned this summer's unrest in the UK as "far-right thuggery".

In a speech in the Downing Street rose garden on Tuesday, the PM said the riots "revealed a deeply unhealthy society... weakened by a decade of division and decline, infected by a spiral of populism which fed off cycles of failure of the last government".

The disorder erupted following the spread of misinformation about the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport, with false speculation that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK on a boat.