Paul Nowak – the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) – has hit out at what he described as the ‘flat-earthers in Reform and the Tory party’ over their views on the climate emergency.

Nowak made the comments in his keynote address to the TUC Congress taking place this week in Brighton.

He told delegates: “We are at the end of the hottest summer on record, a summer that scorched our landscape.

“Now, the flat earthers in Reform and the Tory party might pretend it’s got nothing to do with climate change. And Richard Tice might say we should just ‘enjoy the heat’.

“But I dare him – dare him – to to say that to the firefighters battling wildfires, to railway workers and passengers injured when tracks buckle in the heat, to nurses fainting in hospitals, to bus drivers trying not to pass out behind the wheel.”

Nowak went on to use his speech to call for a maximum legal working temperature.

He told the hall: “So let me say it clearly: Climate change is real and we need to act. That means bold climate action, underpinned by good, unionised jobs. And it means keeping our workplaces safe. It is time for a maximum legal working temperature.”

Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward

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The TUC general secretary Paul Nowak has called for a ban on cryptocurrency donations to UK political parties and criticised Nigel Farage’s Reform Party for their funding.

Nowak made the call in his keynote address to this year’s TUC Congress taking place in Brighton.

He used his speech to criticise Reform’s claims to be a party that supports workers.

Nowak told delegates at the Congress: “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 a 30-year career politician leading a party of Tory has-beens?

“And who better to clean up politics than the man who sips champagne and eats oysters while taking dodgy donations from foreign funders?

“So let’s be clear: Reform do not, never have, and never will represent the interests of working people.”

Nowak went on to accuse Reform of being a ‘party for sale’. He told delegates: “Tell me why it is that two crypto billionaires have donated £72 million to Reform in just two days. The evidence is clear: Reform 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.”

Later, he said that crypto donations like those given to Reform represent a ‘crisis’ for democracy and contrasted it to trade union funding of politics.

Nowak said: “This is a crisis for our democracy. We cannot allow our political system to be captured by corporate interests. And Congress, 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.

“So, we need a proper conversation about how we clean up our politics that doesn’t push workers to the margins, but does stop the super rich corrupting our politics.”

Nowak would then go on to call for an outright ban on crypto donations. He told the hall: “Want to donate to a political party? Then show us where the money is coming from. No hiding behind Bitcoin, Tether, or any other cryptocurrency. It’s time to ban crypto donations once and for all.”

Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward

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