Emergency Motion Nigel Farage
The following emergency motion was approved by a large majority (nem con) at an all-members meeting of the Bishop Auckland constituency Labour Party at Hamsterley Village, County Durham, on Saturday May 10th 2025:
“That the Bishop Auckland constituency Labour Party utterly condemns the threats made by Reform leader Nigel Farage at a victory rally in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, on May 2nd, referring directly to Durham county staff, to summarily sack many of our public service workers, including all who work from home, without due process. We urge the Reform group who now control Durham county council, to ignore their leader on this matter. The controlling group must not make any jobs redundant without proper scrutiny, and any subsequent redundancies must not be made without the proper procedures the law requires being followed.
“With the order to ban county councils controlled by Reform from flying their local county flags, subsequently withdrawn, this is a clear indication that Reform is run by the dictat of the national leadership without regard to local consultation or local wishes. We note that Nigel Farage, while seeking to ban home working by local council employees, is at the same time advertising for Reform regional directors at £50,000 pa, who will be permanently working from home. This is complete hypocrisy by the Reform leader.
“ITV reported: ‘Speaking at a rally in Newton Aycliffe on Friday afternoon (2 May) the Party leader said: I would advise anybody who’s working for Durham County Council on climate change initiatives or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion or… things that you go on working from home, I think you all better really be seeking alternative careers very, very quickly.’”
Proposed by County Councillor Chris Foote-Wood (Barnard Castle)
Seconded by: Michael Webstell (Bishop Auckland)
