Addressing the row in his keynote address to the TUC conference, Paul Nowak said: ‘Why is it that two crypto billionaires have donated £72 million to Reform in just two days?’
One of Britain’s leading trade union figures has branded Nigel Farage’s Reform UK a “party for sale” after the right-wing outfit trousered £72million in donations from two crypto billionaires.
The record donations of £36million each from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne have led to demands for curbs on political donations. Mr Harborne previously gifted Mr Farage £5million ahead of the general election.
Addressing the row in his keynote address to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference, Paul Nowak said: “Why is it that two crypto billionaires have donated £72 million to Reform in just two days?”
“The evidence is clear: Reform UK is a party for sale. Nigel Farage is a politician for sale. And given half the chance, they’d sell our country down the river. Make no mistake, this is a crisis for our democracy. We cannot allow our political system to be captured by corporate interests.”
The TUC General Secretary, who has not ruled out calling for a cap on individual political donations, also dismissed those drawing parallels between the donations and unions’ support to Labour.
Mr Nowak said: “Let no one tell you there is any similarity – any similarity – between care workers chipping in a few quid a year through their union and a party bought and paid for by billionaires.”
The union leader also repeated his call for a ban on crypto donations in politics.
In a direct attack on Mr Farage, he went on: “I just want to take a moment to talk about self-proclaimed ‘workers’ champion’ Nigel Farage. Who better to take on the establishment than a privately educated, ex-banker, multi- millionaire?
“Who better to rattle the cages of Westminster complacency, than the 30-year career politician leading a party of Tory has-beens?”
Mr Nowak also repeated his demand for a windfall tax on the profits of banks to fund a cut in energy bills for millions of struggling Brits.
Britain’s ‘big four’ banks – HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays and NatWest – announced over the summer combined half-year pre-tax profits jumped to more than £29billion.
The TUC chief said: “The Tories slashed taxes for the banks. And now Britain’s big four banks are making over £1 billion a week, while the City had its best year for bonuses since the crash.
“So, you’ll excuse me if I don’t get out the world ’s smallest violin for the likes of Jamie Dimon, of JP Morgan, who claim banks can’t afford to pay their fair share of tax.
“Jamie, I say this with all due respect, working people bailed out the banks in 2008 – now it’s time to return the favour. Prime Minister, you’ve said you want to go further to cut people’s energy bills. This is how to pay for it – tax the banks.”