Unite leadership hopeful pulls out in bid to find unity left-wing candidate to replace McCluskey

Published

3 years ago

June 18, 2021

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A leadership hopeful for one of Labour’s biggest union backers has pulled out of the race in a bid to find a unity left-wing candidate.

Howard Beckett, who had once been viewed as the heir apparent to Len McCluskey as Unite’s general secretary, is no longer seeking to lead the trade union.

Instead, Mr Beckett – who has recently stepped up his criticism of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer – will now support Steve Turner in the race to replace Mr McCluskey.

It follows recent talks between Mr Beckett, Mr Turner and a third left-wing candidate, Sharon Graham, over finding a single candidate between them to take on a fourth leadership rival, Gerard Coyne.

Among the union’s left-wing, there had been concerns that a split among different candidates within their faction could hand victory to Mr Coyne, who is viewed as coming from the union’s right.

If elected, Mr Coyne has promised to bring “real change” to Unite and order an independent review of the union’s controversial £98m spend on a Birmingham hotel and conference centre.

Sources in Mr Beckett’s camp told Sky News that Ms Graham refused to stand aside.

A spokesperson for Ms Graham said: “100% Sharon Graham is standing. She has great support in the union’s industrial base and across the union in Ireland Scotland and Wales.

“She is the workers’ candidate and believes she has support in depth to carry the day.”

In a joint statement, Mr Beckett and Mr Turner said: “Throughout this contest we have both been committed to one thing above all – developing further the role our union has played since its foundation as a fighting back, progressive, campaigning force for working people throughout Britain and Ireland.

“It is clear that developing that unique role requires the unity of the left in our union, and of all these representatives and members in the workplaces and beyond who have made Unite a union to be proud of.”

Mr Beckett, who is currently a Unite assistant general secretary, was recently suspended from the Labour Party after suggesting Home Secretary Priti Patel and not refugees should be “deported”.

He had also been criticised after both Unite and a blogger lost a £1.3m battle over legal costs relating to a libel case won by a former MP.

Mr McCluskey, who was an ally of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, is standing down after more than 10 years in the role.

Unite are one of Labour’s largest donors.

Politics

US SEC expected to deny spot Ether ETFs next month

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2024

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US SEC expected to deny spot Ether ETFs next month

Other evidence suggests that the SEC will likely delay the approval of spot Ether ETFs, while Hong Kong will start trading such products next week.

Politics

SNP and Scottish Greens power-sharing deal ends following climate target row

Published

8 hours ago

April 25, 2024

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SNP and Scottish Greens power-sharing deal ends following climate target row

The SNP has terminated its power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens following a bitter row over its climbdown on climate targets.

It comes after First Minister Humza Yousaf summoned a meeting of his Cabinet – usually held on a Tuesday – this morning following speculation over the future of the Holyrood deal, first struck by his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon.

The deal, signed in 2021, was designed to facilitate governing between the two pro-independence parties in Holyrood.

But signs it was running into difficult came after the Scottish government scrapped its commitment to cut emissions by 75% by 2030.

The climate announcement also came on the same day that the prescription of puberty blockers for new patients under the age of 18 at a Glasgow gender identity service would be paused.

It means Mr Yousaf’s administration will now run a minority government at Holyrood.

Politics latest updates – Greens and SNP to hold news conferences

Lorna Slater, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, accused the SNP of an “act of political cowardice” and of “selling out future generations to appease the most reactionary forces in the country”.

“They have broken the bonds of trust with members of both parties who have twice chosen the co-operation agreement and climate action over chaos, culture wars and division,” she said. “They have betrayed the electorate.

“And by ending the agreement in such a weak and thoroughly hopeless way, Humza Yousaf has signalled that when it comes to political cooperation, he can no longer be trusted.”

It is understood the first minister will hold a press conference this morning in the wake of the announcement. The Greens are also expected to talk to the media.

The power-sharing deal with the Greens, also known as the Bute House agreement, brought the party into government for the first time anywhere in the UK.

Named after the first minister’s official residence in Edinburgh, it gave the SNP a majority in the Scottish parliament when its votes there were combined with those of the seven Green MSPs.

It created ministerial posts for the Scottish Green Party’s co-leaders Ms Slater and Patrick Harvie.

As well as the watering down of climate targets, the Greens were also dismayed at the pause of puberty blockers in the wake of the landmark Cass review into the landmark Cass review of gender services for under-18s in England and Wales.

Last week the Greens said it would hold a vote on the future of the Bute House Agreement and Mr Harvie urged members to back it so the party could “put Green values into practice” in government.

But in the statement released today, Ms Slater said Green members were now not going to have a “democratic say” on the agreement, adding: “The most reactionary and backwards-looking forces within the first minister’s party have forced him to do the opposite of what he himself had said was in Scotland’s best interests.”

“If they can’t stand up to members of their own party, how can anyone expect them to stand up to the UK government at Westminster and defend the interests of Scotland?”