Council staff warned 'join union' after Reform win

Labour politicians person warned assembly unit to "join a union" aft Reform UK took power of the authority.

Hyndburn Council Labour concern and maturation spokesperson Scott Brereton's telephone came aft Reform nationalist person Nigel Farage said home-workers and radical progressive successful diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) were successful the party's sights.

Farage spoke aft his enactment took power of Lancashire County Council connected 1 May.

Brereton said: "Nigel Farage has made it wide the benignant of changes helium wants Reform-led councils to make, saying 'Work from home? Forget it. If you are a DEI officer, I suggest you look for different job'."

Brereton added: "It's outrageous that instantly they're vowing to instrumentality distant family-friendly and flexible moving practices, arsenic good arsenic equality, diverseness and inclusion initiatives.

"They look to person a presumption that radical who enactment from location are lazy, erstwhile successful world it helps radical enactment much efficaciously and saves councils money."

A The Lancashire Association of Trades Union Councils spokesperson said organisations similar Reform UK sought to disagreement workforces.

"A fewer weeks ago, Reform MPs voted against banning exploitative zero-hours contracts. They voted against day-one entree to sick pay. They are not connected the broadside of moving people," a spokesperson said.

But Stephen Atkinson, who had been Conservative person of Ribble Valley Council but is present tipped to go the Reform UK person of the region council, said determination was thing "backward" oregon "scandalous" astir opposing DEI initiatives.

"Not lone bash we cull DEI, we wholly garbage to adhere to it.

"DEI, by its nature, is discriminatory and prejudiced.

"Reform UK volition guarantee that hiring practices are based solely connected show and merit—not connected the colour of your tegument oregon your idiosyncratic agenda."