"Reform UK can talk all it likes about being the "voice of workers", but putting public sector unions “under review” tells you exactly who they are."
Reform’s Gorton and Denton by-election candidate has said that the party would put public sector unions “under review” if it came to power.
Matt Goodwin made the comments in a speech in early December, just before the by-election was called.
As reported by the Financial Times, Goodwin said “[Reform] will place public sector trade unions under review”.
The Reform candidate made the comments in a speech at the “Battle for the Soul of Europe” conference organised by Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), a private college and think tank linked to the Hungarian far-right prime minister Viktor Orbán.
The event took place in Brussels on 3–4 December last year.
Former Tory MP Danny Kruger, who was previously in charge of developing Reform’s radical proposals for government reform, said there “will need to be a programme of change around civil service unions”.
“It will not be acceptable for unions . . . to invoke their own independent political judgment to frustrate what ministers are requiring,” he said, but did not elaborate on what this meant.
GMB Union London reacted to Goodwin’s comments, saying: “Reform have spent months acting like they’re on workers’ side.
“Now they’re talking about putting trade unions “under review”. You can’t pose for photos with union members one minute and threaten their rights the next.
“Workers aren’t stupid, we see what this is.”
Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, wrote on X: “The mask slips.
“Reform UK can talk all it likes about being the “voice of workers”, but putting public sector unions “under review” tells you exactly who they are.
“That means attacking the organisations that defend pay, safety and conditions. And they’re open about going after public sector pensions too.
“Firefighters and other public servants won’t be fooled.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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