BRITAIN’S largest civil servants’ union voted today to put £3 million a year towards a war chest to fight attacks from a potential Reform UK government.

Public and Commercial Services (PCS) general secretary Fran Heathcote warned delegates at the union’s annual conference “we’ll need every penny” as they backed her motion to double its budget surplus to 10 per cent of members’ subscription fees.

She said the increase will build “a significant war chest over the next years” that will shore up PCS’s financial strength and independence by the next general election.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage “is a real danger to the public sector,” she said.

“We know that they will be determined to attack the major force of resistance to their agenda – and that is us.

“Our response has to be political, industrial and involve campaigning. 

“History tells us our opponents will try to starve us into defeat.

“We are preparing for the long haul.”

She told the delegates in Brighton that PCS faced an “existential threat” from the then-Tory government’s political attacks 10 years ago.

The union spent £5m in 2025 on strike action, she added, warning: “It is quite clear if Farage were to come to power we are going to need every penny in that war chest.”

Delegates passed a motion for PCS’s national executive to create a strategy investment programme that sets the 10 per cent annual target and ensures the cash is ring-fenced until at least the end of 2029, when the next general election is expected.

Another motion calling for the “fullest democratic debate” over any changes to PCS’s fighting fund or levy arrangements was passed by 237 votes in favour and 168 against.