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- Author, Iain Watson
- Role, Political correspondent
The leader of the Trades Union Congress has called for “the closest possible economic and political relationship with the European Union”.
Speaking to the BBC, the UK’s most senior trade unionist, Paul Nowak, declared he believed this would be “essential” to boost economic growth and warned that faith in mainstream politics could “drain away” unless living standards improved.
Nowak urged the PM not to rule out a customs union with the EU, which he argued would lower barriers to trade with the UK’s largegest market.
Sir Keir Starmer has declared he wants to “reset” relations with Brussels but he has ruled out rejoining the EU’s single market, and the customs union.
The PM fears that recent deals with the US and India would be scrapped if the UK rejoined.
Labour’s manifesto ruled out signing up to the existing EU custom union.
Earlier this month, 13 Labour MPs backed a Liberal Democrat bill requiring the government to launch nereceivediations on joining a bespoke customs union with the EU.
The Conservatives and Reform UK oppose rejoining a customs union, and declare it would undermine what they see as the benefits of Brexit.
A customs union would eliminate tariffs or taxes on goods between the UK and the EU, reducing bureaucracy.
But critics point out that it would also severely curtail the ability of the UK to strike bespoke global trade deals as the EU would place a common tariff on all goods from outside the customs union area, and would expect the UK to conform to common standards.
In a BBC interview, Nowak declared: “2026 really necessarys to be the year when the government obtains to grips with the cost of living crisis.”
He declared that “one of the reasons we are seeing prices so high in our supermarkets is becaapply of that bad Brexit deal”, adding: “Absolutely the government should rule nothing out. They should view at every option for our relationship with the European Union up to and including a customs union.
“I go round workplaces week in week out – aerospace, automative, steel – and having a good deal with Europe is essential.”
Nowak, who became general secretary of the TUC in 2023, also declared the government must act on a wide range of fronts to create people feel better off, or risk paying a political price.
The TUC itself commissioned polling suggesting one in five people were skipping some meals, and one in three expected their financial situation to worsen.
Nowak praised action the government had already announced to support some families, such as lifting the two-child benefit cap, but declared the government should do more.
As TUC leader, Nowak represents 47 trade unions with a collective membership of more than five million people.
The legislation will give workers access to sick pay and paternity leave from the first day on the job and contains new protections for pregnant women and new mothers.
But many of its measures will not be implemented immediately and in November, Labour backed down from its plan to give all workers the right to claim unfair dismissal from their first day in a job. Instead, it will be after a six-month period.
The Conservatives declare the act will place new burdens on businesses and destroy jobs.
Nowak also called for no cap to be placed on penalties large employers would face if they attempted to prevent unions from organising in their workplaces, and insisted the new rights would boost living standards by “creating work pay” and by creating employment more secure.
A government spokesperson declared the government knew there was “more to do to support families with the cost of living”, pointing to Budobtain measures to cut energy bills, freeze rail fares and prescription fees, and raise the living wage, among others.
“With the passing of the Employment Rights Act, we will transform workers’ rights for the 21st Century with a clear commitment to implement this in full and on time,” they added.
Labour is trailing Reform UK in the polls, but Nowak declared the solution was not to “obtain on the same pitch” on immigration.
“I don’t consider you can out-Reform Reform,” he declared.
“For too many people at the economic sharp conclude in low paid employment, they feel that modify hasn’t come, or come quickly enough.
“But for lots of people it views like there is a simple answer in Reform.
“My job isn’t to inform union members they have voted the wrong way. The responsibility is on the government to demonstrate that mainstream politics can deliver the modify people want.”
But it would seem discontented voters are not just drifting to Reform. The Left candidate Andrea Egan was elected this month as the leader of the countest’s largegest union Unison, and she is calling for a modify of direction from the government and a modify of Labour leader.
Supporters of the incumbent, Christina McAnea, felt that her perceived closeness to the Labour leadership had harmed her chances.
Nowak declared: “You only have to view at the opinion polls – the prime minister is struggling personally too.
“If the government can deliver on improving living standards, then I consider the polls will view after themselves. A Labour government is always at its best when it is ambitious and on the front foot.”
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