UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – TUC chief Paul Nowak criticized Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as a “political fraud,” accusing him of fake working-class support.
As reported by The Guardian, Paul Nowak, the UK’s leading union figure, labelled Nigel Farage a “political fraud and a hypocrite” for “cosplaying” as a working-class supporter to gain votes in the local elections.
What did Paul Nowak say about Nigel Farage’s claims?
Paul Nowak dismissed Nigel Farage’s efforts to align with trade unions, highlighting significant contradictions in his stances on workers’ rights, industry, and the economy.
He urged voters not to be deceived by Reform UK. Mr Nowak acknowledged,
“They got 4 million votes at the last election; of course, there’s a lot of disillusionment with mainstream politics.”
TUC chief said,
“But there isn’t a bandwagon that the fella isn’t prepared to jump aboard if he thinks it’s gonna result in more votes. I think people will see that lack of consistency, lack of political honesty, and lack of coherence. He promises all things to all people.”
He stated,
“I get why people might be attracted in the short term. I think it’s partly my job to say to people, well, don’t just listen to what he says, look at what he does. He’s directly voting against the interests of millions of working people.”
Mr Nowak’s remarks on Mr Farage mark the most personal to date from the labour movement ahead of the election, calling him a “political fraud and hypocrite,” adding that he “makes Liz Truss seem like a politician of integrity.”
He stated,
“I don’t think he wants a sensible relationship with trade unions any more than I think he cares about the interests of British workers or industry or those working-class communities.”
The trade union chief said,
“This is Nigel Farage, a public school-educated ex-metals trader cosplaying as a champion of the working class. There’s a massive contradiction between what he says and what he does in practice.”
Mr Nowak added,
“The fella who says he stands up for British industry is hanging on the coattails of Donald Trump whose tariffs will put at risk thousands of good quality jobs in Britain’s manufacturing heartlands. His driving through of Brexit did lasting harm to the UK economy, including those jobs in engineering and manufacturing. He hasn’t got a coherent economic plan.”
The TUC chief said,
“He and his party have never run anything – a local council, a parish council. He’s spent a lifetime doing what he accuses others of doing, which is riding the political gravy train,”
adding,
“I think they’ll be found wanting because it’s such a ragtag coalition. I don’t think there is any real political coherence and they’ll have to actually prove how they’re going to make the sums add up.”
Mr Nowak slammed Mr Farage for “playing fast and loose with racist rhetoric” during the Brexit and immigration debates and suggested his “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” comments about a police conspiracy after the Southport killings had “kindled the fires of violence” across the streets.
However, he distanced himself from the stance taken by the UK’s largest teaching union, which branded Reform “far-right and racist”, stating,
“I don’t think for one minute that the vast majority of people who vote Reform are in any way racist at all, but there are clearly racist elements in that party.”
Mr Nowak criticised Mr Farage for advancing a “very divisive narrative” on migration, while the TUC called for closer ties with Europe in response to an increasingly unstable global economy.
What did Paul Nowak warn Keir Starmer about after local elections?
The TUC chief also issued a warning to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urging him not to “learn the wrong lessons from what happens in the local election results on 1 May. I don’t think lurching to the right is the answer. You’ll never out-Reform Reform. The solution doesn’t lie in aping Farage.”
He said the government must stay true to Labour values, focusing on improving public services, protecting workers’ rights, advancing industrial strategy, and tackling the cost of living crisis.
Mr Nowak added,
“That’s the thing that will make a real difference. You shouldn’t be suffering any sort of crisis of confidence with a 170-odd seat majority, you need to get on with the job of delivering the change that people voted for. And I think that would be the best way to shut up Farage and those yapping on the populist right.”
What did Paul Nowak say about Labour’s response to Reform UK’s election strategy?
Mr Nowak warned Labour against misinterpreting the expected local election results, urging Keir Starmer to avoid a crisis of confidence, given his substantial 170-seat parliamentary majority.
In recent weeks, Mr Farage has targeted Labour strongholds, advocating for the nationalisation of British Steel and struggling water companies, while promising to “reindustrialise Britain” during a speech in County Durham.
How did Reform UK respond to Paul Nowak’s comments on Nigel Farage?
A spokesperson for Reform UK stated,
“Workers are ripping up their trade union memberships to join Reform. It’s no wonder Paul Nowak is lashing out.”
What did the More in Common survey reveal about Reform UK, Labour, and the Conservatives?
A new survey by More in Common revealed Reform UK could become the largest party in the next general election. The poll forecasts that Nigel Farage’s party will secure 180 seats overall. Both Labour and the Conservatives are expected to have 164 seats each.