‘This is what happens when you let the political fraudsters of the populist right in.’
The TUC general secretary Paul Nowak has today issued a stark warning to UK voters with President Donald Trump having waged attacks on workers’ rights during his first few weeks in power.
In a swipe at Reform leader Nigel Farage, Nowak has warned: “This is what happens when you let the populist right in”.
In his first few weeks as president, Trump has fired the head of the US labour watchdog, the National Labor Relations Board, which rules on “unfair labour practices” by bosses, effectively leaving it unable to operate.
Trump has also empowered tech billionaire Elon Musk to fire thousands of federal workers – actions carried out without due process and which union officials say have violated laws and rules.
Highlighting the close relationship between Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Nigel Farage, Nowak says you should “judge a man by the company he keeps”.
The TUC says Farage is defying his voters and constituents by voting against stronger workers’ rights.
Nowak said: “As well as spending vast amounts of time kowtowing to Trump and Musk, Farage and his fellow Reform MPs have voted against the Employment Rights Bill at every stage.
“Given the choice of supporting legalisation that will boost worker protections and incomes – Farage and Reform have chosen instead to be on the side of bad bosses, zero hours contracts and fire and rehire.”
Recent TUC and Hope Not Hate polling shows that voters across the political spectrum – including Reform voters – overwhelmingly back key workers’ rights policies from the government’s flagship workers’ rights legislation.
This includes the majority of voters in Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch’s constituency.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “What’s unfolding in the US should be a cautionary tale for us all. This is what happens when you let the political fraudsters of the populist right in.
“Having promised to be a champion for working people, President Trump is already torching workers’ rights and slashing public services. And he’s empowered unelected tech billionaire -and union buster – Elon Musk to fire thousands of essential government workers.
“Nigel Farage is making the same bogus claims about being on the side of working people here in the UK. But you should judge a man by his record and the company he keeps.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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