TUC Congress 2024: Paul Nowak – Farage is a “Putin apologist fraud”

Paul Nowak described Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as a “Putin apologist fraud” at his address at the annual meeting of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Brighton.

The TUC general secretary discussed his recent visit to Ukraine, and talked about how his grandfather had come to Britain with the Polish RAF “and played his part in the fight against fascism”.

He continued: “When I see Farage making excuses for Russia’s illegal and indefensible invasion of Ukraine, it turns my stomach”.

• READ MORE: Paul Nowak on the ‘game-changing’ New Deal, combatting Reform and debunking the ‘wage-price spiral’

Nigel Farage isn’t a friend of the working class.

He’s a fraud.@Nowak_Paul to #TUC24 pic.twitter.com/QfHRJZV0Dq

— Trades Union Congress (@The_TUC) September 9, 2024

Nowak said that while he doesn’t “believe for one moment that most of those who voted Reform at the last election are racist”, but stressed that the Reform MP “isn’t a friend of the working class”.

He said: “He’s a fraud. A public school educated, private equity loving, NHS privatising, Putin-apologist fraud.”

Nowak also argued that generations of migrants who have come to the UK to work “represent this country far better than the far-right ever will”.

Referencing the riots over the summer, he also pledged that unions would work with the government “to face down those on the right who wish to sow division and discord in our communities”.

“Our message to the tin pot politicians, the street thugs and any ragtag group that tries to promote their message of hate is clear – not in our workplaces, not in our communities, not on our watch,” he said.

Nowak also discussed his plans to put “Amazon, and every other anti-worker, anti-union boss on notice” and received a standing ovation from the assembled delegates.

You can find further coverage of his address here.