Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Labour is ‘too timid with the Tories’
Unite leader in tirade at party chiefs’ strategy
THE boss of Britain’s most powerful union has blasted Labour’s approach to ousting the Tories as too cautious.
Unite chief Sharon Graham also warned the party it will lose the next general election unless it reconnects with working class people.
Ms Graham, who took over as general secretary in August, urged Keir Starmer’s top team to “keep punching” the Government over the cost of living crisis.
In an interview with the Mirror, she claimed Labour had been “too timid” in helping struggling families – and urged them to set out clear alternatives to the Conservatives.
After mixed progress in the local elections, she even claimed some Labour MPS appeared “embarrassed” to represent working people.
Ms Graham said: “They’ve got to listen to the screaming voices of those who didn’t vote, to those who didn’t think Labour gave them enough reasons to vote for them. They’re not going to win unless they reconnect with working-class voters.”
The union chief, who took over from “Red” Len Mccluskey, added: “Jesus, you don’t need a focus group to feel an elderly woman going round on a bus to keep warm.
“I want to shake them. If they can’t feel this, they’re in the wrong job.
“They should highlight what is going on and keep punching on the same part and keep pushing it.”
Ms Graham, who despite avoiding internal Labour politics has been a critic of the party’s direction, admitted she also “struggles” with what Labour stands for.
She urged the party’s leadership: “Now is the time for the plan.
“Get it out of the cupboard and get on with it. Because the autumn will be too late.”
The Unite boss dismissed reports the union was planning to disaffiliate from Labour as a red herring.
She confirmed she currently has no plans to write any cheques to the party, potentially depriving it of millions of pounds in donations.
But she said there would be “a conversation” with Labour about funding it in the run-up to the next general election.
Ms Graham was scathing about the Government’s response to the cost of living crisis, saying: “I can’t understand why they don’t see this happening, the flippancy of saying we’re going to wait to the autumn.
“I don’t think they’re really understanding what’s going on out there. They’re literally disconnected from real life.”
Unite is calling for a windfall tax for all companies that “profiteered” during the pandemic – from PPE firms to supermarkets as well as energy firms.
She said: “Have a windfall tax on the bloody lot of them.
“It should go directly into the hands of those that need it right away.”
She says her focus is to push up wages via industrial action.
The union has launched 302 disputes in the past six months, and won three out of four of them.
But she warned the failure to include an employment bill in the Queen’s Speech meant workers’ rights were on a slippery slope. Even the plans dropped by ministers – including fair tips and pregnancy discrimination protections – were only “tinkering round the edges,” she said.
Ms Graham added: “They always talk about red tape but really what they’re talking about is fewer rights for workers or people in communities.” Ms Graham has faced awkward questions about a £110million hotel built with union funds by her predecessor Mr Mccluskey.
Unite insiders have suggested that an interim report shows the project had overspent by around £50 million.
“If we’ve been fleeced in any way, it is my duty to try to get that money back for our members,” she said.
“It wouldn’t have been what I have dreamt of when I took over. But you shine a light and expose what’s there and then you deal with it.”
They’ve got to listen to screaming voices of those who didn’t vote
SHARON GRAHAM ON LABOUR’S LEADERSHIP