Nigel Farage and the unions: Reform leader walks the line between friend and foe
The party’s manifesto said it wanted to make it easier to hire and fire workers, but its leader has said he wants a ‘sensible relationship’ with unionsReform UK’s manifesto last summer was clear: a Nigel Farage-led government would “make it easier to hire and fire” workers. Eight months on, Farage was at pains to praise trade unions, saying his party had “a good partnership” with them. So which one is it?There are two broad answers. The first is that, as with most politicians but particularly with Farage, there is an element of saying two contradictory things at once. But also, in the era of British Steel returning to state control and Reform pursuing votes in Labour heartlands, the political landscape has changed. Continue reading...

The party’s manifesto said it wanted to make it easier to hire and fire workers, but its leader has said he wants a ‘sensible relationship’ with unions
Reform UK’s manifesto last summer was clear: a Nigel Farage-led government would “make it easier to hire and fire” workers. Eight months on, Farage was at pains to praise trade unions, saying his party had “a good partnership” with them. So which one is it?
There are two broad answers. The first is that, as with most politicians but particularly with Farage, there is an element of saying two contradictory things at once. But also, in the era of British Steel returning to state control and Reform pursuing votes in Labour heartlands, the political landscape has changed. Continue reading...