The political voice of the trade union movement

Yesterday’s news provided a timely reminder of something that should never be forgotten by the Labour Party. Union leaders overwhelmingly rejected Nigel Farage’s invitation to engage with Reform UK. Trade union leaders from across the movement dismissed the proposal, reaffirming their belief that Reform is not a natural home for organised labour and stressing their continued commitment to the values of workers’ representation.

This story really matters. Begin by ignoring the political theatre of a Farage intervention. This should prompt Labour members at every level of the party to reflect on a fundamental truth: the Labour Party exists because of the trade union movement. It is time we remembered our roots.

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Labour was not simply supported by unions in its early years. It was created by them. The party emerged from the efforts of working people organising collectively to secure political representation in Parliament. Trade unions are not an accessory to Labour – they are its foundation. The relationship between Labour and organised labour is not just a historical curiosity or an administrative affiliation. It is an absolutely essential part of our Party’s identity.

Recent months have demonstrated that this relationship is facing strains, with Labour’s affiliated unions making clear their dissatisfaction with the party’s direction.

USDAW, one of Labour’s largest affiliated unions, has publicly expressed concerns regarding aspects of the government’s approach to implementing workers’ rights through the Employment Rights Bill.

Unite has reduced its affiliation to Labour by 40 per cent, giving a clear warning of their levels of dissatisfaction.

Following last month’s devastating election results, the eleven affiliated unions issued a joint statement arguing that Labour had failed to deliver enough of the change that working people expected in government. They went further, stating that it was clear the current Prime Minister would not lead Labour into the next general election and calling for preparations for a future leadership contest.

Some would have you believe that this level of public dissatisfaction suggested unions wanted to distance themselves from the party. But I do not believe this is evidence that unions are turning their backs on Labour. If anything, this is evidence that unions continue to care deeply about Labour’s future, and their place within it.

Indeed, even amid growing frustrations, the trade union movement remains closely tied to the party. Both the Fire Brigades Union and GMB recently held votes on whether to remain affiliated to Labour at all. After debate, members chose to stay.

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Trade unions provide something that no focus group, polling exercise or Westminster strategy meeting can replicate. They provide a direct connection to the realities of working life. They are rooted in workplaces and communities. They hear first-hand the concerns, frustrations and aspirations of millions of ordinary people. When unions speak, Labour should listen, not because they are always right, but because listening to working people is the very reason the party was created.

Regardless of who leads Labour into the next general election, the party must remember its roots. The relationship with organised labour is not simply a funding arrangement or a constitutional feature. It is a living connection to the movement that gave Labour life. To alienate or ignore unions on policy, or to treat them as an inconvenience rather than a partner, would be to risk severing Labour from a crucial part of itself.

That is why yesterday’s rejection of Nigel Farage’s attempts to woo the unions must be seen as more than a political story. Despite frustrations, criticisms and disagreements, union leaders still believe their political home is with Labour. They could have chosen another path. They did not.

The message for Labour members is simple: remember what we’re here for. The trade union movement built this party. It continues to sustain it. While unions may be demanding change, they are still choosing Labour.

We cannot afford to take that loyalty for granted.

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