YOUNG workers can not afford Reform UK, the TUC warned yesterday after Labour analysis showed more than 2.1 million 16 to 24-year-olds would benefit from measures in the Employment Rights Act.

Nigel Farage’s plan to rip up the new protections in the landmark worker rights legislation would leave young people “stuck at the sharp end of low-paid work.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Working people — especially young workers — cannot afford Reform.

“Young people have been stuck at the sharp of low-paid work and Nigel Farage wants to keep it that way.

“Why? Because it suits the wealthy backers funding his party who profit from economic insecurity.

“Farage has told his MPs to vote to keep zero-hours contracts, allow fire and rehire and deny sick pay to the lowest-paid. He’s even said young people on the minimum wage should be paid less.

“Let’s be crystal clear. Reform are the party of bad bosses and billionaire speculators — not working people.”

Reform UK has said that it wants to make it “easier to fire and rehire” and Mr Farage has come under repeated scrutiny of his opposition to raising the minimum wage, including for young people.

He has also shamefully previously said that women returning to work after raising children are worth “far less to the employer.”

The party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, has also said that he would scrap the vital new protections in the Act “lock, stock and barrel.”

Yesterday, Labour warned that Reform’s plans would push young workers back into a cycle of exploitative zero-hours contracts and falling wages.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Whether it’s claiming young people are paid too much, or trying to block the hard-won new workers’ rights, Labour is making sure every young person has, time and again Farage and Reform prove they’re happy to wage war on young workers.

“If Reform came within an inch of power, they’d happily strip away young people’s rights at work and leave a lost generation on the scrapheap and unable to access good, well-paid jobs.

“Meanwhile, Labour is renewing our country so we build a Britain built for all, where everyone has the best start in life and access opportunities they need to thrive.”

Reform UK was contacted for comment.