Part of Reform’s current “appeal” is their pretence of being the only party that will fight for the rights of the everyday working person against their wicked establishment bosses. Despite being set up as a private company owned by an ex-finance-industry multi-millionaire, the party somehow likes to pretend it is there to stand up for the poor beleaguered working class man above all other.
The organisations who one might expect to have the most expertise in these kind of matters would be trade unions – maintaining and improving the conditions of employees in the workplace being basically their entire reason to exist. Like them or hate them, that’s their stated mission.
So, are the union staff universally overjoyed to see Reform join their efforts to support the working people against the many abusive employers out there?
No. They are not.
We can turn to last weekend’s speech by Gary Smith, chief of the GMB union, to see why – and why many of them think that Reform is actually one of the least worker-friendly parties out there.
Economically speaking, Reform exists to help the rich get richer, and if they have to trample over the few remaining rights of the average worker to do that then they will not hesitate to do so.
Here’s Gary Smith in action:
Let’s get one thing clear – Mr Farage and his ex-Tory soulmates are no friends of workers.
They’ve spent a political lifetime attacking trade unions and the rights we have all fought so hard for. Decent pay, better conditions, protections we cherish.
By the way, why is it always the posh, private schoolboys who want act like they’re working-class heroes.
Do they really think we can’t see the bankers, the chancers, the anti-union blowhards?
If Reform are so pro-worker, why did they just vote against protections against fire and rehire? Why did they vote against sick pay for all workers? Why did they vote against fair pay for carers? Why did they vote against trade union rights to access and organise in places like Amazon?
Now they are going to run town halls. And, the first thing they want to do is sack council workers.
It’s high time they were called out for their sneering, snooty attitude about so-called ‘gold-plated’ pensions. Go ask a local authority care worker, refuse collector, street cleaner, school support staff member if they think their meagre pension is gold-plated. Many can’t even afford to be in it.
Reform’s abuse and name-calling of low-paid public sector workers is an utter disgrace.
Of course, Mr Farage has also threatened the NHS. And, he is notoriously weak about Putin.