Unite: there be something stirring in the woodshed

Just a little snippet which may be rather significant: the Guardian’s Patrick Wintour reports that:

Steve Hart, Unite political director, is on a new project, and replaced by Jenny Fornby. He tweeted he was told he was too close to Labour.
— Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) June 10, 2013

This follows the reports a couple of weeks ago that the non-affiliated PCS, a union led by Mark Serwotka, no supporter of the Labour Party, had given the green light to merger talks.

Given that Serwotka, who would very likely one day end up head of the merged union, is generally thought to be to the left even of Unite’s current leader Len McCluskey, whom Miliband has recently shown willingness to stand up to over budget cuts, this surely means a rift is looking increasingly likely, as we warned here. Disaffiliation may not necessarily happen this side of an election, but open warfare of a 1980s variety certainly looks a strong possibility.

All in all, none of this is terribly good news for Labour.

3 comments

  1. As Constituency Secretary Of the Havering Labour Party, and A PCS member,( we consist of three constituencies,) of which one Romford has bth Chair and secretary PCS members and the Havering Chair is a PCS member and Lastly we're all Blairites it's with mixed feeling that this could happen, despite John Mcdonnels input ,it's unlikely that the PCS would affiliate with La our,not. Excuse the members are to left. Wing but because they're to right wing ,would PCS joining with Unite, make unites left wing hold over Labour using union links collapse,possibly as The strength of new PCS members who aren't left wing could silence Unite, could it mean that those labour members in they lid sector could have a voice within their union to get us back on track , and lastly the fact that the PCS isn't affiliated with Labour could hock u it's into thinking they can't buy influence within labour as PCS members wouldn't stand for it,it would be easy for a lot of PCS members to leave their union, johnreid .

  2. I'm sure it not past Serwotokas mind that the PCS represents police staff, MoD staff ,and civil servants who are in the home office or work as police Liason staff!

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