TRADE UNIONISTS raised the alarm today, just 11 days before polling day, warning that tens of thousands of jobs in Wales are at risk should Reform win the election.

More than 42,000 jobs in Wales could be under threat based on Reform’s policies at the Welsh and British levels, TUC Cymru has estimated.

TUC Cymru acting general secretary Linsey Imms said: “Reform’s policies on net zero would turn back the clock and revive Thatcher’s industrial destruction.

“And their policies on the public sector and how charities would be able to operate could put hundreds of Welsh jobs at risk.  

“Reform UK needs to explain how it would mitigate job losses in industry, public services and the charity sector, if it enacted its proposed policies at the Wales and UK levels.”

The Star asked Reform UK to respond to the concerns raised by TUC Cymru and its affiliates, but it ignored the unions’ warning and instead blamed the Welsh Labour government for job losses in Wales

A Reform spokesman said: “The Labour/Plaid government has seen jobs leave Wales. A Reform Welsh government will bring jobs back to Wales.” 

According to the TUC’s analysis of party policies, an estimated 39,873 manufacturing jobs in Wales could be at risk under Reform’s policy to end investment into clean industrial upgrades.   

In its Senedd manifesto, Reform promises to “scrap net zero in devolved policy” and “abolish the 2030 and 2040 devolved net zero targets and slash reporting requirements to the bare legal minimum.”

The unions allege that it is likely to put an end to Welsh government support for businesses to decarbonise. 

In its Senedd manifesto, Reform also promised “to target a 10 per cent reduction in Civil Service headcount over the Senedd term.”

With proposed cuts to public servants working for Welsh government agencies, TUC Cymru estimates that 1,035 jobs are at risk across Wales.

PCS Cymru National Officer Sian Boyles said: “The PCS is extremely concerned with the threat from Reform UK to cut 10 per cent of the Civil Service jobs in Wales.

“With an increase in Senedd members [from 60 to 96], there is a need to increase the number of civil servants to cover the additional work, and making any proposed cuts will put extra stress on an already under-resourced workforce.

“Losing these jobs will have impacts on communities across Wales, where civil servants live and spend their money.”