McCluskey warns union’s funding must not be ‘taken for granted’
The Unite union, the biggest single donor to the Labour Party, is to review the funds it provides to the party, in what can only be seen as a warning shot across Keir Starmer’s bows.
The planned review is mirrored in an interview given by the union’s general secretary in today’s Observer:
It would be a mistake if anybody took Unite for granted. I think that would be a mistake.
Unite’s assistant general secretary Howard Beckett has publicly welcomed McCluskey’s comments:
McCluskey has also confirmed he intends to stay in post until the end of his elected tenure in 2022, dashing the right’s hopes of replacing him earlier with someone more pliable or an outright right-winger. McCluskey had been expected to retire next year.
The news, both of the review and McCluskey’s stickability, will come as a further boost to a Left already re-energised by the huge success – in spite of right-wing attempts to remove it – of a fundraiser to cover Jeremy Corbyn’s legal costs if he is attacked further in court.
The SKWAWKBOX is provided free of charge but depends on the generosity of its readers to be viable. If you can afford to, please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal or here to set up a monthly donation via GoCardless (SKWAWKBOX will contact you to confirm the GoCardless amount). Thanks for your solidarity so SKWAWKBOX can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about.
If you wish to republish this post for non-commercial use, you are welcome to do so – see here for more.
Am going to carry on with the popcorn for now, but its a little more weight to my suspicion that civil war is coming to the party (well overdue)
Who cares what Len McCluskey thinks or says. He is a complete and utter irrelevance in Labour politics these days. An old man hanging around the office far too long. He should take his pension now and go. If he insists on hanging around spouting rubbish Starmer should put him firmly in his place.
Richard, Starmer could try to put Len in its “place”. However, i wouldn’t bet that Starmer would manage. It is more likely the other way around.
Richard, what McCluskey says is very relevant. He is not spouting rubbish about Starmer, it is true what he says. Starmer stood on an alleged unity ticket instead of which he has set in motion getting rid of left wing members of the Party. What is wrong with being left wing or a socialist Richard? Starmer has started a war with them. So, the party right now, under Starmer’s leadership doesn’t look a lot different to the Tory Government. He hasn’t mounted a single opposition to anything important, his shadow cabinet is extremely right wing (Streeting, Reeves etc) and he has become a stooge for the MSM and the BoD. He paid money to the Panorama people when Labour’s lawyers said it was a 100% slamdunk case to win. He made a monumental and potentially fatal error of Judgement there. I could go on.
He has no idea about politics having only been a politician for five years. On his showing so far, he is probably the worse Leader of the Labour Party over the past 40 years, this is because he doesn’t have a single Labour value at his core, not one, as he is showing. We now have the most Right Wing Cabinet in Government in living memory. We also now have the most Right Wing Shadow Cabinet in living memory. Hobson’s choice.
@Richard hahahahahah ROFLMAO funniest thing so far this Sunday , can’t wait for your next gem
Richard, you are incredibly consistent…..it seems that not only are you both ageist & sexist, but wrong about everything else. S/he who pays the piper…….did Sir Keir ever make public who bankrolled his election? Now we have 2 Liberal Partys……we live in interesting times.
McCluskey has a duty to spend those union funds wisely, as does Starmer with his Labour Party funds. They have been donated by ordinary working people, and are not the private wealth of anyone to pass to others on what appears to be a whim, and with no properly stated reasoning. What is more, it was stated on here by a rep at the meeting where this was decided that Starmer was insistent on the payment when others did not want to do it.
Jo, You cant see the wood for the trees. The reality is, McCluskey is the last of a dying breed. The last trade union ‘baron’ in existence. He thinks he is ‘important’ and in one respect he is. He thinks because his trade union donates lots of money he should be listened to.
Trade union leaders have been an embarrassment to the Labour movement since the 1970s. McCluskey is The Conservative Party’s Best Recruiting Sergeant. That is the only reason why he is important. You cant see it Jo but believe me Starmer and the rest of the country, as in ordinary voters can see it.
Most people don’t know what a ‘trade union leader’ is meant to do. Most people think a trade union is there to help its members, when required, negotiate terms and conditions with employers. They think that is the job of a trade union and its leader. They get confused when ‘trade union leaders’ get involved in party politics. ‘ Confused’ is not the word, ‘scared’ is more accurate. What business is it of Len McCluskey to criticise the new leader of the Labour Party? they ask questions like that.
And they are right to do so.
And it appears, before he goes in 18 months time (underline 18 months time), Len MCLuskey is going to cause Keir Starmer as much vexation as is possible. Labour people like you Jo should ask themselves what is McCluskey really all about.
“It would be a mistake if anybody took Unite for granted”. Ask yourself, what is McCluskey talking about? who is taking Unite for granted? what is that threat about? who is it aimed at? why now? As I said If I were Starmer I would act now and bring Len McCluskey down a peg or three. And I expect Starmer will do just that.
Here is a bit of advice to Sir Keir, the best way to deal with McCluskey is to ignore him. May I suggest, with a bit of light ridicule. But of course I know the good lord already knows how to deal with this turbulent priests. Looking forward to it.
The labour party was created to represent the trade unions in parliament.
Rob,
As they say in Glasgow, ‘whatthefuckareyoutalkingabout?
Richard perhaps I have to explain , in simpleton terms then , it’s called sarcasm , now you can go Google it if you want to just so you understnad “whatthefuckareyoutalkingabout?” , but your comment apart from being laughably embarrassing is so typical of the RW now infesting the Party .
Unions whom you seem to so dislike were and still are relevant in the Labour Party and it was they that historically bought about the political wing of the Labour movement
Anyway I’ve wasted enough of my time I’ve better things to do then engage with a Tory lite Starmerite
Dick perhaps you should bring your worries and ignorance to the membership of your lodge .I am sure that you will be motivated by being able to bang the drums next july and wear the sash…So much for another right wing establishment dick..
Richard MacKinnon, Rob might be laughing his arse off at your complete lack of tactical competence.
The best thing Starmer can do for the many is to drive the unions and their funds out of FakeLabour and into the arms of a new, genuine, socialist party of the people.
We may agree that unions fighting over differentials in the 1970’s crippled Labour, but whereas you blame Labour I blame only the union leaders of that time for competing with each other in a stupid, self-immolating assault on solidarity.
Why don’t you fuck off back to CCHQ, you transparent fucking Tory?
Sorry to disappoint Dave but Ive never voted Tory in my life. Im just telling it as I see it.
PS Good luck with the new party.
It wouldn’t be a ‘new’ party, merely the distinctive and true parts of the old Independent Labour Party rediscovering itself and its purpose.
And Len (and his wonderful Union of workers) would be advised to finance an embryonic news media, our democracy needs an antagonism to the vile centrist oligarchy – we, the members of a renovating ILP would finance and energise the Party early days.
And as one seems to have scaled down the amount of shite they spout, up pops another to take their place with ever-increasing banality that the right wing are resorting to.
Is it me or is this ‘70%’ so deluded that they honestly believe they’re a big enough ‘movement’ (SWIDT?) to form the next (or any future) government?
Len is a ten to outlast the ‘Temporary embarrassment ‘
Richard
Which part of there is no room in the Labour party for those who prefer a cheap and nasty Tory government to a socialist government
No room for Quislings and Bad Actors, the internal report is set in stone, there is no way back now for red Tories your finished in this party
Now
‘Off you must fuck ‘
Len is organising a conference for the left and JC will headline,
Temporary Embarrassment has been warned, first shot fired
Doug,
Tell me something. Why are you so angry?
I thought it was the Tories that were the nasty party, but it seems that its you guys, lefties, that spout the most abuse and bitterness. Why is that? Is it because you know deep down that your losing and cant face up to the fact sensible grown ups are taking control of The Labour Party again?
Joseph,
My goodness. How depressing. So there it is, anyone from Glasgow who disagrees with Joseph okeefe; and the image that jumps into Joseph’s consciousness? a member of the Orange Order banging a drum.
Sad but unfortunately, so predictable. As someone once said “Give us the boy of seven and we will give you the sectarian”..
He could knock off the contribution of his union an amount equal to that paid out in unnecessary compensation payments.