Labour’s The trade union paymaster wants to reduce its contributions to the party and donate money to Left-wing campaign instead.
Sharon Graham, Unite’s new general secretary, asked if it receives good value for its millions given to the opposition.
Her dramatic move could severely damage leader Sir Keir Starmer’s campaigning ahead of the next general election – the union has handed the central party, local Labour groups and candidates £40million over the past decade.
Miss Graham told The Guardian last night that Unite would still pay £1million in annual affiliation fees to Labour.
Labour’s trade union boss is to reduce its party donations. Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary (pictured), questions whether the union gets good value from millions of dollars it gives to its opposition.
However, she continued: “There is a lot of money we can use from our political funds where I am not certain we are getting the most value.”
She stated that she was being very robust because Labour must talk about workers and need to protect workers as well as communities.
Unite already had reduced its Labour financial contributions since Sir Keir replaced hard-Left Jeremy Corbyn.
Miss Graham was also elected as the leader of Britain’s biggest private sector association earlier this year.
She indicated that she was willing to spend money on campaigns that would “set the stage” for Labour, and cited plans in Scotland to create a nationalized care service.
She said, “If that’s possible, then we should put it in Scotland. Let’s do some proper campaigning.”
Her dramatic move could damage leader Sir Keir Starmer’s campaigning – the union has handed the central party, local Labour groups and candidates £40m over the past decade
Miss Graham didn’t attend Labour’s conference in September, and she clashed over Sadiq Khan’s claim that a Tube strikes were unnecessary.
She claimed that politicians are out of touch and not listening to ordinary people, who are angry and in pain.
It’s the latest of a string of financial blows Labour has suffered. GMB Union is reviewing their funding, after Gary Smith, its general secretary, revealed that many of its members have resigned as Labour voters.
GMB withdrew all funds for London party after Labour-run council dismissed a long-serving caretaker.
Labour was disaffiliated in September by the Left-wing union of bakers, the BFAWU. They accuse it of being outof touch with working-class organizations.
Labour was already under financial pressure after having to fight three general elections within four years. Its loss of 59 seats means it receives less funding from the government for opposition parties (known as “Short Money”).