Nigel Farage’s call for trade unions to affiliate to Reform UK gets torn apart
His invitation got swiftly rejected
Nigel Farage’s call for unions to ditch Labour and affiliate to Reform UK has been roundly rejected by the trade union movement.
In an interview with the Times, Farage called on unions to attend Reform’s conference and to affiliate to the party, even suggesting that one union may be on verge of doing so.
In a post on X, he proclaimed: “Reform is now the party of workers.”
But unions, which founded the Labour Party in 1900, were quick to reject Farage’s suggestion and remind him of Reform UK’s anti-worker policies.
These include Reform’s pledge to scrap the Employment Rights Act, which gives workers greater protection against unfair dismissal, sick pay from day-one and bans most fire and rehire practices.
Responding to Farage’s comments, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Let’s be crystal clear: Reform are no friends of working people.
“If they were, they wouldn’t be planning to rip up workers’ rights like day one sick pay and protection from fire and rehire and zero-hours contracts. And they wouldn’t have a leader who backs privatising the NHS.”
Nowak added: “Reform can cosplay as champions of workers all they like. But the reality is they’re bankrolled by corporate interests and crypto billionaires who want the rules rigged even further in favour of the rich and powerful, not working people.
“And let’s not forget many of their leading voices have shown contempt for trade unions – the very organisations that won the rights and protections they want to strip away.
“Reform will say whatever they think it takes to win votes. But their record – and their agenda – tells the real story.”
The Assistant General Secretary of Community Union, Alasdair McDiarmid, said: “Nigel Farage’s appeal to the trade unions is farcical given the Reform Party has consistently voted against the interests of working class people while under his leadership.”
“This includes the party’s rejection of the Employment Rights Bill, a landmark piece of legislation, introduced by the Labour Government, that greatly enhances the rights of workers.
“It is Labour that continues to champion workers, having been founded by them in 1900, and Community is proud to be a Labour affiliated union. It is clear Farage will say whatever it takes to win votes, but workers will see through his misrepresentations.”
The Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “If I had a pound for every politician who said they are the party of workers I’d be a rich woman. Reform have shown absolutely no evidence that they are friends of workers. Not signing up to the Employment Rights Act, inferring privatisation of the NHS and threatening local authority pensions seems the exact opposite.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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