Nigel Farage and his party, known as the “rebadged Tories,” are being criticized by a high-ranking trade union official for not supporting workers, as indicated in a forthcoming speech by Gary Smith, the General Secretary of GMB. Smith will raise concerns about Reform’s intentions to challenge established workers’ rights during the union’s annual congress in Blackpool.
While GMB members were actively participating in protests and demonstrations, Smith is expected to highlight that Reform’s leadership was openly endorsing Thatcher’s policies. Despite this, Farage’s party is actively courting union members in their quest for political influence, with recent polling data from JL Partners showing equal levels of support for Labour and Reform among unionized workers.
Reform’s strategy involves targeting the repeal of the Employment Rights Act, a legislation that safeguards against exploitative practices like zero hours contracts and dismissals, while also strengthening sick pay, protections against unjust termination, and parental leave entitlements. Despite tensions between union leadership and the government over party strategies, GMB, a key supporter of Labour, is anticipated to reaffirm its backing for the party.
Last month, affiliated unions of Labour, including GMB, Unite, and Unison, jointly expressed reservations about Keir Starmer leading the party in the next election. Smith will use his address to advocate for members to reject Reform, cautioning against their anti-union stance. He will emphasize that Reform’s history of supporting policies detrimental to communities contradicts their claim to support workers.
Reform’s opposition to worker rights has been at odds with public sentiment, as evidenced by a large-scale survey that demonstrated strong public support for the provisions in the Employment Rights Act. Polling conducted across various constituencies for the TUC and Hope not Hate revealed widespread backing for secure employment contracts, immediate sick pay benefits, and the elimination of fire and rehire practices.
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