Reform UK has matched the Labour Party in popularity among trade union members, according to a recent poll, highlighting significant shifts in the political landscape within the unionised workforce. The survey, conducted by JL Partners, shows both parties tied with 28 percent support among unionised workers, a marked decline for Labour, which has lost 20 points since the last general election.

The data indicates that Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party holds greater sway than Labour among members of Unite and the GMB—two of Labour’s largest union donors. Farage was also perceived by respondents as the leader most likely to champion working people's interests, although Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer led in direct comparisons with Farage. Farage interpreted the results as evidence that Labour has lost its traditional working-class base, asserting that Reform has inherited that mantle.

This decline in Labour’s union support follows significant setbacks during last month’s local elections, where Reform UK made substantial gains in traditionally Labour-held working-class constituencies. The trend has persisted for over a year in national polling. Several prominent Labour Cabinet ministers, including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, face the prospect of losing their seats to Reform UK in the upcoming general election.

Since re-emerging in frontline politics two years ago, Nigel Farage has distanced himself from his earlier Thatcherite stance, embracing policies such as steel nationalisation and the reopening of Welsh coal mines. He has also expressed a desire for a “sensible relationship” with unions, a shift aimed at attracting Labour’s traditional working-class voters.

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham described the poll results as "damning but not surprising," asserting that Labour has abandoned the working class, which in turn has disengaged from the party. Graham criticised Labour’s policy positions on social benefits and the energy transition, suggesting these have contributed to alienating working people amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

Similarly, GMB General Secretary Gary Smith urged Labour to demonstrate its commitment to working-class communities, referencing recent government support for the ceramics industry. Smith warned that Miliband’s net-zero policies risk further job losses in communities reliant on traditional industries, potentially driving more workers away from Labour.

Transport union TSSA leader Maryam Eslamdoust emphasised the need for Labour leadership to offer tangible solutions to the cost-of-living crisis facing workers today.

In response, a Labour spokesman reaffirmed the party’s long-standing commitment to working people, highlighting recent efforts to improve workers’ rights and raise minimum and living wages. The spokesman noted that Labour intends to continue working to alleviate cost-of-living pressures and increase financial support for households.

The findings also revealed increasing support for the Green Party among union members, signaling a broader diversification of political preferences within the organised labour community.