Reform leader Richard Tice turns fire on Labour as he calls for election

Reform UK leader Richard Tice has warned the country faces «Starmergeddon» if it elects Labour, as he called for a general election.

The rebranded Brexit Party, which is on about 9% in the polls, has previously focused its attacks on the Tories.

But Mr Tice claimed a government led by Sir Keir Starmer would be a «disaster».

He ruled out an electoral pact with the Tories — and said he was «confident» Nigel Farage would play a role in Reform's campaign but did not say how.

Sir Keir is due to make his own new year speech on Thursday, as Labour steps up campaigning ahead of a general election, expected as soon as the spring.

There has been speculation Mr Farage, who is Reform UK's honorary president and helped found the party in 2018, could make a return to frontline politics after his stint in the I'm A Celebrity jungle.

However, he was not among the «special guests» promised at Reform's new year press conference and Mr Tice said the former UKIP leader said was «still assessing» the extent of the role he would play in helping the party.

Mr Farage is not expected to make another bid to become an MP after failing to get elected to the UK Parliament seven times, but could be given a campaigning role.

Mr Tice used his speech to criticise both Labour and the Tories, accusing them of betraying working class voters on immigration.

In an attempt to tap into a sense of disillusionment among some Tory voters, Mr Tice claimed the government had «opened the borders to mass uncontrolled immigration of a scale that this country has never seen before».

Meanwhile, he said the country faced «a catastrophic cocktail of economic incompetence» if Labour won power.

Mr Tice added: «Only Reform UK is now the party of the working class, who