Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has lashed out at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage for proposing the reopening of coal mines in Wales, calling the idea an “absolute parody” of what working-class communities truly desire.
Speaking at a press lunch in Parliament, Reynolds, whose grandfather worked in the coal industry, criticized Farage’s call to reignite traditional steelmaking and coal production in Port Talbot, claiming it demonstrated a lack of understanding of both pride in local heritage and the drive for progress.
“When I see someone like Nigel Farage go to Wales and say to those people, ‘I’m going to reopen the coal mines’ and he thinks that’s what working class people want—that is an absolute parody of what someone like Nigel Farage thinks that people like I grew up actually want.”
Jonathan Reynolds
Farage, who announced during a visit to South Wales, said his party’s ambition is to “re-industrialise Wales” by bringing back traditional industries if Reform UK gains power. The proposal is part of a broader campaign strategy as Reform UK gears up to challenge Labour’s long-held dominance in the Senedd elections scheduled for May next year.
But Reynolds, representing Labour, pushed back forcefully, using personal family history to drive home his argument.
“My grandfather was a coal miner, kind of much like everyone where I grew up… It was a position of real responsibility and family pride. He went down the mine fourteen years ago. He had one message for my dad, and that was ‘don’t go down the mine.’ And he became a fireman.”
Jonathan Reynolds
According to Reynolds, this generational shift highlights something Farage and his party are missing. “That’s the bit that our opponents don’t understand: the pride in where we’re from and what we represent, but also the aspiration for the future,” he added.
Reynolds acknowledged that Reform UK currently represents Labour’s most formidable opponent, but said the government’s task is to show that “mainstream politics can deliver for them.”
Reynolds Comments on UK-US Trade
On international trade, Reynolds also touched on the ongoing discussions between the UK and the United States for a trade deal aimed at strengthening economic ties. The deal, announced last month by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump, includes plans to reduce British tariffs on steel and automotive exports to the US in return for expanded market access for American goods.
However, the agreement has yet to be fully implemented. Reynolds noted that Britain is “ready to go” on its side but is still waiting for the US administration to finalize its part of the process.
“This is not US politics disrupting global trade. This is how global trade has disrupted US politics. We might have different views, but we have to engage with them.”
Jonathan Reynolds
Reynolds even recounted a humorous episode with his US counterpart, Howard Lutnick, when poor phone signal nearly caused a diplomatic misunderstanding. “The Woodhead Pass between South Yorkshire and Manchester is probably the only place in Britain with worse mobile phone reception than working in Parliament,” he joked, noting that “every fifth or sixth word is genuinely cutting out of signal.”
Despite the hurdles, Reynolds remains optimistic. He expressed that he was “very hopeful” the trade deal would come into force “very soon,” though he admitted the negotiations have not “always been easy.”
In response, a Reform UK spokesman hit back, accusing Labour of abandoning industrial heartlands. “Labour is continuing to deindustrialise our towns and communities across the country. They don’t blink when we lose thousands of well-paid jobs in these crucial industries,” the statement read.
“Labour simply doesn’t understand working people. Reform will continue to call for the re-industrialisation of Britain and with it, bring back thousands of well-paid jobs.”
Reform UK spokesman
As such, Reynolds’ remarks underscore Labour’s focus on forward-looking economic policies, contrasting sharply with Reform UK’s nostalgia-driven agenda ahead of a pivotal election year in Wales.
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