Nigel Farage has suggested Labour's connection with working class people is the "weakest now it's ever been".

Reform UK's leader blamed policies such as the axing of the winter fuel payment for this.

Speaking to GB News on the eve of the local elections, he was asked what a win in Runcorn and Helsby would mean.

Mr Farage said: "It's difficult, really, to believe how quickly support for this Labour party has just melted away.

"Two things I would identify very strongly that I've seen; one, the winter fuel allowance. And what really hurts you see is they took away the winter fuel allowance but promised energy bills would come down by £300 a year.

"As of the 1st of April, they're up on average by £281. You got a massively increased bill and the winter fuel allowance has been taken away.

"The big one, and this is the really big one that I'm seeing. Working people, people who have alarms, get up at 5 in the morning, go off and work hard on buidling sites or whatever they do. The kind of reaction I get is 'we're paying more and more blooming tax and it feels like we're paying it for people to cross the channels in boats, for people who choose not to work'. A deep sense of resentment'. Labour's connection with he working class is the weakest now I think it's ever been."

Reform is taking its fight to Labour at local elections on Thursday.

Mr Farage's party has recruited more than 1,600 candidates for 1 May's English council elections.

Reform looks set to make progress at the council elections, while bookmakers have made Reform’s Sarah Pochin favourite to win in Runcorn’s parliamentary by-election.

Asked about Sir Keir’s absence from the by-election campaign trail, a Labour spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has been campaigning throughout this period and we’ve got a great candidate in Runcorn in Karen Shore.

“We’ve got a great story to tell, as the Prime Minister has said – that’s three million extra NHS appointments, three interest rate cuts, wages rising faster than prices, £500 better off as the OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) have said.

“Meanwhile, the Tories have all but given up campaigning there and it’s the latest sign of a pact with Reform.”

The spokesman said Labour was “fighting for every vote” in the contests around England, but Sir Keir had acknowledged “the elections will be tough”.