“The only argument going for them is grievance and resentment.
Reform has been slammed for being a ‘posh boys club’ that has sought to exploit problems without offering any tangible solutions.
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock launched the scathing attack on Nigel Farage’s party saying that Reform trades on resentment rather than real answers.
Nation.Cymru reports Kinnock as saying: “The only argument going for them is grievance and resentment.
“You can’t represent people on that basis.”
He rejected the suggestion that Reform UK speaks for overlooked communities. “Of course it’s not. It’s the opposite. It’s a posh boys’ club. They don’t give a damn about the real wellbeing of the communities of Wales.”
Kinnock highlighted the problem with populism in a nutshell, highlighting how populist parties shout out slogans without offering any tangible solutions.
Nigel Farage is hoping to make gains in the Senedd elections, however his party has been hit with a number of scandals in Wales, including defections as well as candidates being exposed for sharing bigoted and hateful views.
Last week we reported how a third candidate had quit the party after being selected to stand as a candidate, citing serious concerns around vetting of candidates and a lack of genuine concern for local issues.
Lord Kinnock said: “You’ve only got a shout. There’s no design, no practical plan,” he said, pointing to what he described as “falsehoods like the economic bounty that was supposed to come from Brexit, which has proved to be a Farage mirage.”
Kinnock told the paper that addressing the underlying causes of dissatisfaction is key to countering both Reform UK and Plaid Cymru.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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