TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady appealed to the labour movement to “reach out” to working-class communities who voted for Brexit and work together to “build unity” in the face of racist attacks in Britain.

Speaking at a fringe meeting on the EU referendum and workers’ rights at the SNP conference, Ms O’Grady said: “We need to think hard about why so many people voted out. 

“How much of it was driven by the fear of immigration? How much of it was driven by wanting to give a bloody nose to Westminster and Brussels, and how much of it was a cry of pain from parts of the country that have felt shafted over the years?”