A gleaming bronze statue outside the Trades Union Congress headquarters in Bloomsbury shows a heroic figure reaching down to lift a fallen comrade. Called “The Spirit of Brotherhood”, it was commissioned in the 1950s, a symbol of the labour movement’s postwar confidence. Today, that unity looks fragile as Nigel Farage tries to woo unions away from Labour.
At its simplest, the relationship between trade unions and the Labour Party is financial and structural. Labour is backed by 11 trade unions representing four million workers. Union members can vote in Labour leadership contests, and union representatives sit on the party’s National Executive Committee. Unions support Labour financially via membership fees, a proportion of which goes to the party through political funds, plus dedicated donations. In the first three months of 2026, Labour received £1.4 million from seven different unions. Unison gave £366,936 and Unite – despite being critical of the Labour government – donated £392,544.
“Why trade unions back Labour and what Reform UK's offer to them means”
This link dates back to Labour’s foundation in 1900 as the Labour Representation Committee, created by trade unions and socialist groups to give working people a voice in Parliament. The old Clause Four of Labour’s constitution promised to “secure for the workers, by hand and by brain the full fruits of their industry”. Even though the TUC as a body cannot formally affiliate with Labour or endorse it at elections, its member unions are heavily intertwined with the party. That historic bond is what Nigel Farage is now trying to break.
On 9 June 2026, Farage told The Times that Reform UK’s “door is open” to unions and invited them to his party’s conference in September. He pointed to a poll suggesting he was the most popular party leader among trade union members and suggested common ground on “historical injustices” around the British Steel pension scheme. But union leaders responded with fury. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said Reform had “shown absolutely no evidence that they are friends of workers”. Unison’s Andrea Egan called it a “con”, noting Reform’s pledge to repeal Labour’s Employment Rights Act, which gives workers sick pay from day one and the right to claim unfair dismissal after six months. A GMB spokesperson said: “Mr Farage and his Reform MPs say one thing to workers and do another… we see them for what they are – re-badged Tories after union members’ basic rights.”
Why does this matter for UK readers? Because unions remain a powerful voice for working people, especially on issues like energy bills. The TUC has called for an “emergency social tariff” to knock up to £559 a year off bills for low-income households, paid for by a windfall tax on banks. Paul Nowak, TUC general secretary, said with Farage claiming Reform is “the party of workers”, every government decision must “send a signal to working people that it’s for them”. If unions ever shifted allegiance, it would reshape British politics – but that looks unlikely given the deep ties and policy differences.
Q: How are trade unions linked to the Labour Party? Unions are formally affiliated with Labour, meaning they contribute membership fees and donations, and have voting rights in leadership elections and seats on the party’s National Executive Committee. Eleven unions, representing four million workers, currently back Labour.
Q: What has Nigel Farage offered to unions? Farage invited unions to cut ties with Labour and affiliate with Reform UK instead, saying his “door is open” for talks. He also invited union leaders to Reform’s conference in September to discuss policies like the British Steel pension scheme.
Q: Why do union leaders reject Reform UK? Union leaders say Reform’s policies are anti-worker, especially its pledge to repeal the Employment Rights Act. Unite called Farage “no friend of workers”, Unison said it’s a “con”, and GMB dismissed it as “re-badged Tories”. They see no evidence Reform would protect workers’ rights.
What happens next? Reform UK’s conference in September will test whether any unions engage, but leaders are deeply hostile. Meanwhile, the TUC is pushing Labour to adopt its energy bill social tariff, with the current price cap expiring soon. The Labour government faces pressure to show it’s on the side of working people – a message that matters as Farage tries to steal the mantle of the “party of workers”.