Nigel Farage calls on Britain’s trade unions to leave Labour and affiliate with Reform UK, describing Reform as “the party of the workers.” In a video posted on X, he also invites union leaders to attend Reform’s national conference in Birmingham in September and says unions can apply for affiliation. The unions and labour-aligned bodies quickly rebuff the offer.
The Guardian reports that major unions and the TUC reject the invitation, saying Reform is “cosplaying” as a workers’ champion and has opposed measures to strengthen employment rights. The Independent and other outlets describe criticism led by Unison, which warns that backing Farage and Reform could threaten workers’ rights and lead to job losses.
According to HuffPost UK and other accounts, union leaders and Labour MPs argue Reform has voted against Labour’s efforts to improve workers’ protections, including sick pay and safeguards at work, and that Reform would roll back key employment-rights legislation. LabourList and Left Foot Forward also report the invitation is rejected, with unions stating they do not view Reform as aligned with workers’ interests.
