Sir Keir Starmer’s right-hand man has accused Nigel Farage of “hating Britain” in a stinging attack against Reform UK.

Darren Jones, who became Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister in this month’s reshuffle, took aim at Reform UK just hours after a bombshell opinion poll put Mr Farage on course to win the next General Election.

Speaking at the Global Progress Action conference, Mr Jones said: “The populist right do want to tear everything down. They don’t want the institutions that we have.

“I don’t really understand why Reform hate Britain so much – they hate the BBC, they hate the NHS, they hate the Government.”

Mr Jones spoke after the Prime Minister unveiled his controversial plan to introduce mandatory digital ID for all British adults.

During the Prime Minister’s speech, Sir Keir also appeared to take a veiled swipe at Mr Farage.

He told attendees: “This is the defining political choice of our times: a politics of predatory grievance, preying on the problems of working people. Using that infrastructure of division… against the politics of patriotic renewal.

“Rooted in communities, building a better country. Brick by brick, from the bottom-up – including everyone in the national story. Difference under the same flag.”

Mr Farage has long prided himself as one of Britain’s most patriotic politicians.

During the 2024 General Election campaign, the Reform UK leader appeared to declare that he was more patriotic than both Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir.

Mr Farage slammed Mr Sunak for his decision to leave D-Day celebrations early, later swiping at Sir Keir over his decision to remove his Remembrance poppy to address British Muslims.

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