Labour MPs set up group to focus on Reform UK threat
The informal caucus, which is understood to have been meeting on a regular basis in Parliament, includes members from seats where Reform came second in 2024's general election.
One red-wall MP who is a member of the group told the PA news agency that a key area of concern was the Chancellor's push for economic growth has been focused too heavily on the south.
Pointing to her announcement of funding for transport links between Oxford and Cambridge as well as backing the expansion of Heathrow Airport, they said: 'That has no effect whatsoever on the red wall.
'It's not going to create growth in the forgotten areas where Reform are more likely to be second.'
They are calling for more investment in transport and infrastructure in the North of England, where Reform's vote share was particularly high.
It is understood the aim of the group is to identify ways to better promote Labour's work on areas like migration and crime amid concerns in some quarters that the Government's political messaging is not cutting through.
Reform returned just five MPs at the election last year but came second place in 98 constituencies at the election last year, including 89 Labour seats.
Concerns within Labour ranks about the rise of the right-wing party have mounted after it edged ahead in national polls for the first time, with 26% in a Find Out Now survey in January.
Reform also topped a YouGov poll this week at 25%, with Labour on 24% and the Conservatives at 21%, though its one-point lead is well within the margin of error.
Downing Street is also carrying out targeted work to counter the threat, with the Guardian reporting that data and strategy experts have been enlisted to advise MPs on the kinds of messages resonating with Reform-minded voters.
A Labour source said: 'Groups of MPs meet all the time about lots of different issues. Labour MPs are rightly concerned about Nigel Farage's plans to make people pay to access NHS services and will carry on taking the fight to them and other opposition parties in parliament and at the ballot box.'
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"I worked my entire career and many times I got to work alongside the Massachusetts State Police and the women and men of the Massachusetts State Police in in an operational capacity and through all those experiences I developed a profound respect for the Massachusetts State Police for the institution of the Massachusetts State Police and for what it represents," Noble said. "Overseeing what was occurring and in the shortfalls and the scandals that had happened – that was not the Massachusetts State Police. That was not representative of the Massachusetts State Police that I had gotten to know personally over the years." Noble believes the people of Massachusetts are so frustrated by state police failures because they see the potential for the agency. "This belief in the Massachusetts State Police and the excellence that it should represent, and this slippage that has occurred – that resonates with the community equally as it resonates with me so that's why I'm here," he explained. "We all agree that the Massachusetts State Police needs to be held accountable. The public agrees with that and our troopers, I can assure you, agree with that." Noble was the final decision maker for the firing of former state police Trooper Michael Proctor, who was fired for inappropriate text messages about Karen Read and his handling of the investigation into John O'Keefe's death. "That's a decision that's got my name on it and I stand behind that decision," he said. Proctor is currently appealing his termination. "Our mission needs to be laser focused on finding the truth, period, hard stop," Noble said. "That's what the mission of a detective is, is to uncover the truth regardless of what direction that it takes you and to follow the facts and evidence of your investigation and to do so with integrity, confidentiality and with the professionalism that we expect." 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Putting new commanders and new supervisors in key positions, particularly in Norfolk County, I firmly believe was a decision in the best interest of the Commonwealth." Still. Noble recognizes that the investigation done by state police likely contributed to the outcome of the case. Investigators and prosecutors wholeheartedly believe, they have indicated, that Karen Read was responsible for the death of John O'Keefe. Read was acquitted of all major charges in June. "Do you feel as though state police's performance in that investigation contributed to the lack of conviction at the end of the day?" WBZ's Kristina Rex asked. "Absolutely," Noble replied. "The investigative body has to look through that and to say, 'why? Did we not give the jurors enough information…was our investigation lacking?'" "I think we, the state police, have to look in the mirror and say 'yeah what could we have done better,'" he explained. 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Immediately before Noble started his tenure as Colonel, a state police recruit died during a boxing training exercise at the academy. Enrique Delgado Garcia's death sparked outrage and protests about safety practices in police training. His family has demanded answers. An independent attorney has been appointed to investigate the state police academy training, and Garcia's death. "By design, Massachusetts State Police is walled off from that investigation," Noble said, explaining that he knows no further details than the public regarding the investigation into Garcia's death. Noble said he thinks appointing a special investigator was the right move. "We, like so many others – the community, the family – we want the same answers," he said. "We are eager to hear the results of the investigation." 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They've charged him with murdering Birchmore and staging her death like a suicide. "Where and why did state police drop the ball there?" Rex asked Noble. "That investigation certainly is ongoing right now so I can't comment specifically on that investigation," he said, but he corrected the perception that having federal investigators intervene necessarily reflects failure. "We welcome another agency coming in and looking at an investigation," he said. "I think there's a little bit of misinformation out there that there is on whether it's that particular case to others we welcome [federal intervention]. There's no space between us [and the feds]; we want the same thing," Noble said. In response to the fallout from several public scandals, state police online recruiting efforts have been met with harsh backlash. The department currently has around 2,400 sworn and 650 unsworn officers, plus two ongoing academies of trainees, Noble said. He described staffing as "healthy," but said the department is working to recruit due to expected retirements of senior staff. With big events like FIFA coming to the state in 2026, he anticipates the agency will need to ramp up staffing – hence, the online recruiting. But every post draws widespread backlash. "I can't believe state police have to recruit," one post read. "It used to be one of the best jobs in the Commonwealth; now it's a punchline." "My response to that is: engage with us, talk to us," Noble said. "Through these messages and through our recruiting campaign we are formally opening that door to say: learn about us; challenge us." "I think that anytime we see an erosion of public trust, anytime a police department has an incident that calls into question the integrity of the institution or the individual troopers, absolutely there is an impact on recruiting," Noble said. 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The coalition added that an 'outpouring of support from communities condemning the hatred is a powerful reminder that these views do not represent the vast majority'. Some protesters, also protesting against asylum hotels and houses of multiple occupation, held signs reading 'What about our girls' human right to safety' at the Nuneaton demonstration. The End Violence Against Women Coalition – another signatory to the open letter – said the 'far-right has long exploited the cause of ending violence against women and girls to promote a racist, white supremacist agenda' and added the 'attacks against migrant and racialised communities are appalling and do nothing to improve women and girls' autonomy, rights and freedoms'.
