Nigel Farage and his “rebadged Tories” are not on the side of workers, a senior trade union leader will warn on Sunday.
Gary Smith, General Secretary of the GMB, will sound the alarm over Reform’s plans to go after hard-won employment rights in a speech to the union’s annual congress in Blackpool.
While GMB members were on picket lines and marches, Reform’s leaders were “cheering Thatcher to the rafters“, he is expected to say.
Mr Farage’s party is targeting union members in their bid for power, with a recent poll by JL Partners showing Labour and Reform tied on 28 per cent among unionised workers.
The charm offensive comes despite plans to repeal the Employment Rights Act, which includes bans on exploitative zero hours contracts, and fire and rehire, as well as strengthened sick pay, protections against unfair dismissal and entitlements to parental leave.
View 2 ImagesGMB General Secretary Gary Smith warned Reform was not on the side of workers(Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)
The GMB, one of Labour’s biggest backers, is expected to reaffirm its support for the party on Sunday, despite tensions between union leaders and the Government over party strategy.
Labour’s affiliated unions – including the GMB, Unite and Unison – issued a statement last month saying Keir Starmer should not lead the party into the next election.
Mr Smith will use his speech to urge members to ditch Reform, warning it wants to bash unions and their rights. He will say: “I understand the anger and frustration. People are struggling and hurting. But don’t for a minute believe Mr Farage and his rebadged Tories are on the side of trade unions like ours.
“When many of us in this hall were cutting our teeth as union and political activists – supporting the miners, going on picket lines and marches, organising against the Poll Tax – Reform’s leaders were cheering Thatcher to the rafters.
“They championed the policies that have left such deep scars in our communities. So, when I hear Reform saying they’re on the side of metal bashers, I say ‘no chance’. The only things Reform want to bash are unions and our members rights.
“Reform are targeting the right to organise in places like Amazon, to collectively bargain over their pay, sick pay for all. There’s a cancel culture in Reform and it’s union members’ rights they’re after.”
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Reform’s anti-worker agenda has previously been exposed as out of step with the public mood. A mega-poll of more than 40,000 people in March found overwhelming support for the policies in the Employment Rights Act, which became law in December.
Polling in every constituency for the TUC and Hope not Hate found majority support for guaranteed hours contracts (78%), day one sick pay (76%), and ending fire and rehire (83%).