Unite’s leaked May 2013 internal political report to the union’s powerful Executive Council written by the union’s political director emphasises that Unite’s priority is to get a majority of its membership in marginal constituencies to vote Labour. Unite’s own research (see page 5) reveals that only a minority of around 37.5% of the membership vote Labour. A figure in line with national polling…

So when Owen Jones and Len McCluskey claim that Unite represents a political voice for “millions” of its members, it is not completely true. Unite gives political support to the Labour Party whereas most Unite members – according to Unite’s own research – don’t support the Labour Party. McCluskey and his media-friendly paid lobbyist Owen Jones are a small left-wing clique who have got control of the union because most members are apathetic. As evidenced by the fact McCluskey won Unite’s leadership having received only 144,570 votes yet claims to have a “two million strong” union. That if true would make Red Len supported by a mere 7.3% of his members.

In reality most people join a union to obtain organised represention for themselves in the workplace and primarily in order to have someone to negotiate on bread and butter issues like pay and conditions. They vote on national issues. They certainly don’t join the union to bring about the Marxist wet-dreams of Owen Jones…