David Lammy has claimed that Vladimir Putin wants Nigel Farage and his “rightwing populist” allies to succeed in the hope they divide Europe.
His attack comes after a leading ally of Mr Farage’s – former Reform UK leader in Wales Nathan Gill – was found guilty of taking money from the Kremlin.
It also follows longer standing concerns over Mr Farage’s “admiration” for the Russian autocrat even though recently the Reform UK leader described Putin as “a very bad dude” in response to criticism.
The deputy prime minister used a major speech in Amsterdam on Saturday to claim that Labour and its centre left allies “are winning” in holding back rightwing populism around the world.
This is despite a Find Out Now poll putting Labour in third place on 15 per cent – less than half the support for Reform UK on 32 per cent and behind the Tories on 17 per cent.
But the speech echoes the new attacking strategy launched by Keir Starmer at the Labour Party conference last month to take on Mr Farage, whose party he described as “racist” and “immoral”.
Speaking to the conference of European socialists, Mr Lammy highlighted the recent conviction of Mr Gill.
He said: “Nigel Farage says he’s stunned by the fact his former party leader in Wales took Russian bribes. But we’re not stunned
“Because the Kremlin has a proven track record of supporting the networks that want European unity to fail.”
Mr Lammy made efforts as foreign secretary to form a bridge with Donald Trump’s populist right-wing White House administration.
But now he has been freed from the foreign brief, he has turned his guns on the “international populist right network” linking Farage to figures like Steve Bannon in the US, Marine Le Pen in France and UK far right leader Tommy Robinson.
He warned: “Right now the populist right, even as it champions barriers and borders – is organising and sharing more effectively as – an international network – than we are.
“From Martin Sellner to Tommy Robinson, this is an international network. From Nigel Farage to Steve Bannon, they are supporting each other. From Alice Weidel to Marine Le Pen, they are learning from one another. To extraordinary effect.”
He admitted: “We all feel this stress and uncertainty because our people are suffering.
“And we all know they are looking both left and right for the change they crave. This means politics is wide open. Our polls are marked by extreme volatility at this point in the cycle – and those that are popular are those that offer change.”
But while he said the situation was “fraught with peril” it is also “full of possibility.”
He insisted that while Brexit means the UK left the EU, it did not mean that Britain is no longer European and he insisted that it stood with its allies.
But he believed that Labour’s victory last year, followed by others around the world, showed that they are winning in the struggle against populism.
“We are here today because we cannot fail. We are in a race to shape the politics of the 21st century with the populist right,” he said.
“We are winning worldwide. In July last year we won in Britain, with a historic majority that nobody ever thought was possible. Ending fourteen years of Tory rule.
“Yes, the right has won elsewhere. But since then, we’ve kept winning. In April, we won in Canada, roaring back from deep mid-term lows. In May, we won in Australia with the same story. In September, we won in Norway, roaring back again from those-mid term blues.”
In a rallying cry he insisted that Farage and the populist right “shall not pass” when it comes to future elections.
“When Nigel Farage attacks, judges and mobilises grievances against the courts. This is his playbook. This is the price he would have us pay.
“That’s why in our elections – they shall not pass! Why in your elections – they shall not pass! Across Europe – they shall not pass!”
The Independent has asked Reform UK for comment.
