Plea to tackle the cost of living

NIGEL Farage's Reform party would only make life worse for working people, and it is up to Labour to stop him, the trade union movement's chief warns.

- BY LIZZY BUCHAN and ALEXANDER BROWN

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said Prime Minister Keir Starmer must tackle cost-of-living pressures heaping misery on households as millions head to the polls next year in local elections.

He urged Labour to confront Farage head on, warning: "Working class people can't afford Reform." But he said living standards must improve or people will listen to Reform's hollow promises.

It comes as a Deltapoll survey revealed the cost of living is the most important issue facing Britons and their families.

The polling found 61% of voters want the PM to make tackling the cost of living his top priority, followed by improving the NHS (55%) and reducing the number of immigrants (41%). Growing the economy was on 34%, cutting crime 17%, and fixing public services 13%. Nowak said: "Far too many people don't feel confident enough to go out and buy a new car or book a holiday.

"They're worried about what the economic future holds.

"It's also the best way of pulling the rug from under Nigel Farages feet because when people get disillusioned with mainstream politics and they think it's not delivering, the only person who benefits is Nigel Farage and his mates."