Independent Media | Campaigning Journalism
Len McCluskey warns Keir Starmer not to move too far from the left as Unite cuts funding
Unite boss Len McCluskey has warned Keir Starmer not to move Labour too far from the left as the union moved to cut affiliation money. The union, which is Labour’s biggest financial donor, was understood to be reducing affiliation by about 10% after a vote of its executive on Tuesday.
McCluskey, an ally of Starmer’s predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, warned Unite’s multi-million pound funding could be cut if the new leader undertakes too drastic a change of course.
But the cut to Labour’s funding is being used to support the grassroots left:
Len McCluskey's statement on why Unite voted yday to reduce affiliation to @UKLabour. 'We also want to use our political funding to support and nurture the newer voices in our movement… This move will support the collective voice from the shop floor to the grassroots' https://t.co/0cUQDLgAau
— Unite Politics (@UnitePolitics) October 7, 2020
Read on...
“I’m not sure what Labour stands for”
Ahead of the vote, McCluskey told BBC Newsnight:
I have no doubt if things start to move in different directions and ordinary working people start saying, well, I’m not sure what Labour stands for. But I don’t see at the moment any dramatic move to disaffiliate from the Labour Party. The Labour Party is our party.
He was particularly critical of Labour’s payout to whistleblowers over the party’s handling of antisemitism. McCluskey said:
it was an absolute mistake and wrong to pay out huge sums of money to individuals who were suing the Labour Party based on the Panorama programme, when Labour’s own legal people were saying that they would lose that case if it went to court.
So we shouldn’t have paid them anything.
We need your help to keep speaking the truth
Every story that you have come to us with; each injustice you have asked us to investigate; every campaign we have fought; each of your unheard voices we amplified; we do this for you. We are making a difference on your behalf.
Our fight is your fight. You’ve supported our collective struggle every time you gave us a like; and every time you shared our work across social media. Now we need you to support us with a monthly donation.
We have published nearly 2,000 articles and over 50 films in 2021. And we want to do this and more in 2022 but we don’t have enough money to go on at this pace. So, if you value our work and want us to continue then please join us and be part of The Canary family.
In return, you get:
* Advert free reading experience
* Quarterly group video call with the Editor-in-Chief
* Behind the scenes monthly e-newsletter
* 20% discount in our shop
Almost all of our spending goes to the people who make The Canary’s content. So your contribution directly supports our writers and enables us to continue to do what we do: speaking truth, powered by you. We have weathered many attempts to shut us down and silence our vital opposition to an increasingly fascist government and right-wing mainstream media.
With your help we can continue:
* Holding political and state power to account
* Advocating for the people the system marginalises
* Being a media outlet that upholds the highest standards
* Campaigning on the issues others won’t
* Putting your lives central to everything we do
We are a drop of truth in an ocean of deceit. But we can’t do this without your support. So please, can you help us continue the fight?
Support us -
Show Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Join the conversationPlease read our comment moderation policy here.
The Blairites new this course of action may arise.Hence the begging bowl to the millionaire “Don’t rock the boat, pretend socialist” The Labour Party is our party.
Thank you, Len
Good move Kier. Distancing yourself from this vile overpaid grotesque will only work to your advantage.