Mark Serwotka, former long-time general secretary of the PCS Union, went full throttle on BBC Question Time in Llandudno. He called the Labour government “a desperate disappointment” that has “abandoned its core principles and working-class communities.” The audience erupted in applause.
🚨 “Understatement of the year”
“To say this government has been the most desperate disappointment is an understatement of the year,” Serwotka declared. He reminded viewers of Tony Blair’s shift to the centre. Back then, strategists assumed core voters had nowhere else to go. “They thought they could veer right, and our people would stay loyal,” he said. But now, those same voters are eyeing Reform UK.
📈 Reform’s rise
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has surged, polling at 29% versus Labour’s 21%. Serwotka warned that putting Reform in No.10 would be “divisive and dangerous.” Yet he acknowledged their leaders are “clever politicians” taking advantage of disillusionment.
💔 Labour’s betrayal
“Labour has abandoned its core principles and working-class communities,” he said. He dismissed Labour’s claim of a £22 billion black hole left by the Tories. “If that were true, the choices they made that day told us everything. They attacked pensioners, the disabled, and parents with more than two kids.”
💷 Tax choices
Serwotka argued they could have introduced a wealth tax or raised corporation tax instead. But instead, they opted to slash benefits for the most vulnerable.
😠 Panel tension
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones, sitting beside Serwotka, bristled. She insisted, “Repairing 14 years of Conservative damage to public services wasn’t easy.” She added she felt “proud” of Labour’s record in Wales.
You can watch it below:
🔥 Backlash sparks U-turns
Labour’s cuts to winter fuel payments, disability benefits, and the two-child cap ignited voter fury. After Reform vowed to reverse these measures, Labour announced a U-turn on winter fuel and hinted at tackling child poverty.
You may also like: Watch Trump’s tone-deaf D-Day quip—and Merz’s swift correction
