Union membership increases in Reform-led councils
Councils where the GMB has seen an increase in membership include Durham, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire and Doncaster.
GMB national officer Rachel Harrison told the PA news agency: 'Reform spouts a lot of nonsense about being on the side of workers, but these figures show people aren't buying it.
'Workers in Reform-led councils are flocking to join unions because they know the first thing Farage and his cronies will do is attack low-paid staff's terms and conditions.'
GMB general secretary Gary Smith launched an angry attack against Reform in a speech to the union's annual conference in Brighton at the weekend, saying Nigel Farage and his 'ex-Tory soulmates' were 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.
'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.
'Reform's abuse and name-calling of low-paid public sector workers is an utter disgrace.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
We'll turn page on 200 year shame - and it's just the start says Angela Rayner
I'll never forget the anger I felt when Suella Braverman claimed rough sleeping was 'a lifestyle choice.' As if the danger and hardship of living on the streets was some kind of holiday option – when most rough sleepers have no choice at all. The fact she was Home Secretary when she said those words back 2023 made it even more shocking. Just a year before, Parliament had voted to repeal the Vagrancy Act a shameful 200-year-old law that criminalises rough sleeping. But her Tory government failed to go through with scrapping it fully. Three years on, this Labour government will finally finish the job by scrubbing the Vagrancy Act from the statute books once and for all. We are drawing a line under nearly two centuries of injustice towards some of the most vulnerable in society – people who deserve dignity and support. No one should ever be criminalised simply for sleeping rough and by ending this archaic law, we are making sure it can never happen again. Of course, this does not mean that the job is done. It sends a clear message that rough sleeping is not a crime to be punished. But to get back on track to ending homelessness for good we must tackle its root causes. Everyone deserves a safe, decent, affordable home. And yet this dream is out of reach for far too many people across our country. We've inherited the worst housing crisis in living memory. Rough sleeping soaring, record numbers of families living in B&Bs. And to our nation's shame more than 165,000 children remain stuck in temporary accommodation. My family didn't have much growing up. But we had a council house which gave me the security I needed to get on in life. Thousands of kids don't have that luxury. This is what keeps me up at night and drives our mission to end this crisis. Through our Plan for Change we will build 1.5m new homes - including the biggest wave of affordable and social housing in a generation. We've already topped up investment for this by £800 million. And we're providing another £2 billion top-up for next year too with more funding to come in the Spending Review. And we won't stop there. Through our landmark Renters' Rights Bill we are banning no fault evictions to give millions of people renting more security. At the same time, we're investing almost £1 billion - into tackling homelessness and rough sleeping - including a £233 million boost for this year. And we're taking important steps to boost housing availability too. This includes reforming Right to Buy so councils can keep the money they make from sales. They will then invest these funds back into building and buying more homes. On top of this we've made £450 million available for councils to provide housing for families at risk of homelessness. But we know that funding is only part of the solution. That's why we're creating a long-term homelessness strategy with prevention at its heart. Providing the long-term quality homes people deserve. Bringing homelessness to an end won't be easy. It will take time and commitment to achieve. Scrapping the Vagrancy Act is an important step on this journey of reform. Just look how far Britain has come in the two centuries since the Act was first introduced. Slavery was abolished, women won their fight to vote and equality was enshrined in law. The foundations of our welfare state was laid by the post war Labour government. These groundbreaking reforms, and others, improved the lives of millions of ordinary people. They made Britain a freer, fairer more tolerant society. And we are proud to be following in the footsteps of the reformers of the past today as we lay the foundations for a better future. Building the homes we need and creating a country that delivers for everyone. So that a good home is no longer a 'lifestyle choice' for a lucky few - but the foundation of a good life for all.
North Wales Chronicle
4 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
New MSP says by-election win can be ‘springboard' for Labour Holyrood victory
Davy Russell secured a surprise win in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat last week, defeating the SNP candidate there. His victory came despite SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney repeatedly declaring the contest to be a two-horse race between his party and Nigel Farage's Reform. Welcoming Mr Russell to Holyrood, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar insisted that voters in the constituency 'have led the way in the pathway to electing a Scottish Labour government next year'. Mr Sarwar said: 'Next year we are going to remove the SNP from office and we are going to elect a Scottish Labour government.' With the SNP having been in power in Scotland since 2007, Mr Sarwar said voters in the by-election had 'recognised 18 years of failure from the SNP, wanting to change the government here in Scotland' while at the same time also 'rejecting the poison of Reform in the process'. He insisted that Labour's MSPs and 'fantastic candidates' for the May 2026 Holyrood elections would go on and 'demonstrate how we win that election, demonstrate how we improve the lives of people here in Scotland'. Mr Sarwar added: 'The choice facing the people of Scotland is a third decade of the SNP with John Swinney as first minister or a new direction for Scotland with a Scottish Labour government and me as first minister.' Meanwhile, Mr Russell said he was 'honoured and humbled' to have been chosen as the new MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. The seat had been held by Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie, with the by-election called after her death earlier this year at the age of 57. Mr Russell said he was at Holyrood to 'fight' for people from the area, saying: 'I have listened to them for weeks and now I am going to take their case forward, so it is the springboard for Scottish Labour to take the reins and be in charge of the Scottish Government come next May.'
Leader Live
4 hours ago
- Leader Live
New MSP says by-election win can be ‘springboard' for Labour Holyrood victory
Davy Russell secured a surprise win in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat last week, defeating the SNP candidate there. His victory came despite SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney repeatedly declaring the contest to be a two-horse race between his party and Nigel Farage's Reform. Welcoming Mr Russell to Holyrood, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar insisted that voters in the constituency 'have led the way in the pathway to electing a Scottish Labour government next year'. Mr Sarwar said: 'Next year we are going to remove the SNP from office and we are going to elect a Scottish Labour government.' With the SNP having been in power in Scotland since 2007, Mr Sarwar said voters in the by-election had 'recognised 18 years of failure from the SNP, wanting to change the government here in Scotland' while at the same time also 'rejecting the poison of Reform in the process'. He insisted that Labour's MSPs and 'fantastic candidates' for the May 2026 Holyrood elections would go on and 'demonstrate how we win that election, demonstrate how we improve the lives of people here in Scotland'. Mr Sarwar added: 'The choice facing the people of Scotland is a third decade of the SNP with John Swinney as first minister or a new direction for Scotland with a Scottish Labour government and me as first minister.' Meanwhile, Mr Russell said he was 'honoured and humbled' to have been chosen as the new MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. The seat had been held by Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie, with the by-election called after her death earlier this year at the age of 57. Mr Russell said he was at Holyrood to 'fight' for people from the area, saying: 'I have listened to them for weeks and now I am going to take their case forward, so it is the springboard for Scottish Labour to take the reins and be in charge of the Scottish Government come next May.'
