Reform’s star 19-year-old council leader attacked in street | Politics | News
Warwickshire County Council’s 19-year-old star Reform leader was physically attacked in the street and Nigel Farage blamed Sir Keir Starmer’s rhetoric for the attack. George Finch was branded a “racist” and “fascist” during the attack on Friday night, echoing the language of both Sir Keir and the Green Party.
Mr Finch claimed the alleged attacker was “wounded and sent off to war because of the dangerous rhetoric of Labor and the Greens”. Reform said both Mr Finch and a female friend were “physically assaulted” by a young man in Nuneaton town centre. Mr Farage condemned Sir Keir two weeks ago after warning that the Prime Minister’s incendiary rhetoric about the party’s deportation policy was endangering the safety of councilors and campaigners.
He told the Mail: “I am deeply saddened that our young council leader has been attacked.
“The words used against him reflect the Prime Minister’s disgraceful attack on Reform during the week of the Labor Party conference and the completely irresponsible comments of the Green Party leader.”
Detailing the traumatic incident, Mr Finch said the attack “came as a huge shock to me and my friend and it happened completely out of the blue”.
He added: “It is clear that the man who attacked us was injured and sent off to war because of the dangerous rhetoric of Labor and the Greens.
“I am extremely concerned about the state of political discourse in Britain. Reform activists in the UK are subject to intimidation and violence at the hands of Left agitators at all levels.
“The politicians they follow know this, but they willingly allow it. They have a duty to speak out and suppress the growing threat my friends and colleagues face.”
Ahead of Labour’s annual conference, Sir Keir branded Reform’s policy of scrapping indefinite leave to remain “racist”.
Following the conference speech, Mr Farage had an immediate on-air reaction to the speech, accusing the Prime Minister of inciting violence against Reform UK.
Mr Farage said the Prime Minister had given up on attacking Reform’s arguments and as a result had decided to “go down to the ditch”.
“Let’s be clear, Reform wants illegal immigrants deported from our country,” the Clacton MP said.
“Reform wants the benefit system to be for British citizens only, not foreign nationals. Reform wants foreign criminals to be removed from our country as soon as possible.
“Labour says this policy is racist and immoral, and by implication, Reform supporters, voters and sympathizers are also racist.”
Mr Farage said he was not worried about personal abuse but effectively accusing millions of people of being racist was “a very low blow”.
He added: “This language will incite the radical left… it directly threatens the safety of elected officials and our campaigners.”
Referring to the recent killing of Charlie Kirk, he added: “I think it’s an absolute disgrace.”
A Labor Party spokesman said: “Violence, harassment or intimidation is completely unacceptable and has no place in our politics or society. Such incidents must be fully investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.”
Warwickshire Police said it was investigating “an assault in Nuneaton where a man reported being pushed by another man.”
