Paul Nowak, the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), launched a stinging attack on Reform UK leader Nigel Farage during the union’s annual conference on Monday, accusing him of defending Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine.
In a fiery speech, Nowak branded the former UKIP leader a “Putin apologist fraud,” and criticised his stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Farage, who led the Reform UK party to secure 14.3% of the vote in the last election and now has five MPs in Parliament, has been accused by many of aligning with far-right rhetoric.
Speaking to delegates at the conference, Nowak emphasised that he did not believe most of those who voted for Reform were racist, but insisted that Farage himself was a “fraud”.
“Nigel Farage isn’t a friend of the working class, he’s a fraud. A public school educated, private equity loving, NHS privatising, Putin apologist fraud,” Nowak told the conference.
Nowak, who recently visited Ukraine, shared his disgust at Farage’s comments about the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe. “When I see Farage making excuses for Putin’s illegal and indefensible invasion of Ukraine, it turns my stomach,” he said.
Farage has previously faced criticism for suggesting that Western nations, through the expansion of NATO and the EU, “provoked” Putin into launching the invasion. Farage argued that this gave the Russian president an opportunity to claim the West was threatening his country, which he then used as a justification for war.
Despite the backlash, Farage has remained steadfast in his views, stating that he is “one of the few figures that have been consistent and honest about the war with Russia.”
A spokesperson for Reform UK responded to Nowak’s comments, stating: “This outburst proves Reform is a serious threat to the Labour Party. They really are scared, and so they should be.”
In his speech, Nowak also condemned the former Conservative government, calling it “one of the most right-wing, incompetent, morally bankrupt” administrations in UK history. He relished the downfall of several top Tory ministers during the general election earlier this year, adding: “While I am not one to revel in other people’s misfortune, I have to say I enjoyed every single Portillo moment in the early hours of 5 July.”
Nowak praised the current Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, but noted that rebuilding the UK would be a long-term challenge following “14 years of Tory chaos.” He added that the unions were ready to work with the new government to restore the country and address the needs of working people.
Nowak’s comments reflect a growing divide between the Labour movement and Farage’s Reform UK, which continues to attract voters with its populist platform.
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