Why does Reform UK want to rip up workers' rights? Follow the money

Last week, we held two major campaign actions outside the Reform Party conference in Birmingham to expose their links to offshore billionaires and how damaging their anti-worker policies are.

The night before Reform Party conference began, we projected this video onto five prominent locations across Birmingham, showing how the party is bankrolled by corporate interests and crypto billionaires who want to keep the rules rigged in favour of the rich and powerful.

The following morning, we invited journalists to a press conference, including a van that mocked Reform Party as the ‘party for hire’, not workers’ rights. This followed the Channel 4 investigation that exposed dodgy donations that senior figures in the party, including Nigel Farage, were aware of and supported.

We also displayed several statements about the crucial workers’ rights Reform UK want to repeal, like the right to day one sick pay and protection from fire and rehire.

Reform's billionaire backers

Reform UK is bankrolled by offshore billionaire and cryptocurrency CEO Christopher Harborne, who has ploughed £15 million into Reform, and given £5 million to Nigel personally. Cryptocurrency has been associated with money laundering, trading illegal weapons, drug gangs and criminals, who use crypto for illicit transactions, so that they can’t be traced. Reform UK has pledged to cut regulations on cryptocurrency.

Reform UK conference was rocked by allegations of dodgy financial dealings and breaking electoral law as Channel 4 published an investigation which appeared to show senior Reform figures encouraging political donations from foreign sources, which is illegal. The investigation showed that polling showing levels of support for Reform amongst union members – which was splashed across the front page of national newspapers – was knowingly funded by a dodgy donation.

This matters to working people. Because whilst Reform UK claims to be a political party for workers, the truth is that Reform is now a political party for hire. This isn't just about where Reform gets it's money. It's about the politics that money helps support.

And if there’s one thing that Reform's billionaire donors hate, it’s workers’ rights. It's no wonder that they've pledged to axe the Employment Rights Act.

Farage, and all our politicians, need to pick a side. Billionaires might not want workers' rights. But voters do.

Workers' rights at risk

If Reform scraps the Employment Rights Act, it could mean:

• Taking sick pay, bereavement leave and pregnancy protections away from millions
• Legalising fire-and-rehire tactics
• Weakening protections against discrimination at work
• Bringing back “no-fault” evictions and making it easier to raise rents

These aren’t “regulations” - they are hard-won rights that make work fairer, more secure and more equal.

Reform’s plan to rip up workers’ rights is massively out of step with the British public. The TUC released a 40,000 person mega-poll which shows huge support for key policies in the Employment Rights Act across every UK constituency. This overwhelming support is mirrored across every parliamentary seat Reform currently holds - and in every parliamentary constituency across the UK.

Read more about our Stop the Steal campaign, including ways to order posters for your workplace to spread the message.

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