Unions snub Farage's invite to join Reform UK

Trade unions have distanced themselves from Nigel Farage after the Reform UK leader suggest they cut links with Labour and affiliate with his party instead.

In an interview with The Times, Farage said "if you represent working people in this country, my door is open" and invited unions to attend his party's conference in September.

His offer came after a poll published in the newspaper suggested Farage was the most popular party leader among trade union members.

Responding to his offer, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Reform have shown absolutely no evidence that they are friends of workers."

"What needs to happen now is for the Labour Party to stop dithering and be the voice of workers," she added.

Unison general secretary Andrea Egan said Reform UK had "shown what it thinks of working people" by pledging to repeal Labour's Employment Rights Act, which became law last year.

"It's a con to think Nigel Farage and his rich cronies are interested in unions for anything but cold hard cash," she added.

A GMB spokesperson said: "Mr Farage and his Reform MPs say one thing to workers and do another... we see them for what they are – re-badged Tories after union members' basic rights."

Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary last month and says he would join any future Labour leadership contest, said: "Farage has the audacity to vote consistently against the rights of workers and then claim he's open to trade unions."

Reform has pledged to scrap the Employment Rights Act, which gives workers the right to sick pay from their first day in work and the right to claim unfair dismissal after six months.

In a video on social media, Farage acknowledged that there would be "disagreements" between the views of union leaders and himself, but invited union leaders to come to his party's conference to discuss policies.

He suggested there could be common ground, pointing to "historical injustices" surrounding the British Steel pension scheme, which he said his party would "like to help you sort out".

Labour is backed by 11 trade unions, representing four million workers.

Members of the unions are able to vote in Labour leadership contests, and union representatives sit on the party's decision-making body, the National Executive Committee.

Unions support Labour financially via membership fees, a proportion of which are given to the party via political funds, as well as dedicated donations.