Red Len’s ‘culture of freebies and favours’

UNION baron ‘Red’ Len McCluskey was accused of presiding over a ‘culture of freebies and favours’ last night as the battle for control of the Unite union exploded into life.

Gerard Coyne, fighting to topple the Unite general secretary in a leadership contest, targeted Mr McCluskey over his controversial purchase of a £700,000 London flat with the help of £417,000 union funds. Mr Coyne, 49, the union’s West Midlands regional secretary, said that the sum was equivalent to 2,293 years’ worth of subscriptions from a Unite member.

The battle is crucial to the future of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader because Mr McCluskey, 66, is Mr Corbyn’s main union backer.

But Mr Coyne dismisses Mr McCluskey as the Labour leader’s ‘puppet master’. Mr McCluskey became the owner of the two-bedroom apartment near Borough Market a year ago. Unite put forward 60 per cent of the cost after signing an equity share agreement.

Mr Coyne told Unite members in Stoke-on-Trent: ‘I find it remarkable when I hear Len McCluskey talk about greedy bosses. The truth is the man who talks about greedy bosses is a greedy boss himself... Vote to end the McCluskey culture of freebies and favours.’

Mr McCluskey said the flat arrangement was an ‘accepted and profitable investment for the union’.

The result of the contest will be announced in April.