Red Len hotel disaster that’s lost union £70m
FORMER Unite boss Len McCluskey was under mounting pressure last night to explain £70million losses his hard-Left union is facing on a hotel it built.
The group spent £98million on the controversial project in Birmingham, but two independent valuations have put its worth at less than £30million.
Sharon Graham, who was elected general secretary in August fol
‘Handed an unholy mess’
lowing Mr McCluskey’s departure, ordered a QC-led inquiry into the building in December.
Now it has emerged that last week she told a video call with Unite officials an initial valuation of the centre had come up with a figure of £27million. A second valuation was then ordered, which put its worth at £29million.
The 170-room hotel and conference centre was built under the leadership of Mr McCluskey, who last year described it as a ‘sensible investment of members’ money, resulting in a world-class facility that will return an income for our union for generations to come’. But one source from Unite said: ‘Sharon Graham feels like she has been handed an unholy mess and now she needs to find out where the £70million shortfall has gone. She is a new broom who owes nothing to the old regime.’
Founder of Left-wing group Momentum Jon Lansman said: ‘Even before more details emerge, it is surely inescapable that this terrible loss arises in part through inadequate scrutiny and a failure of governance. It must be put right without delay. ’
Those on the call regarding the hotel valuations were left ‘shocked’ by the low figures, a source told the HuffPost UK website.
A spokesman for Unite did not deny the valuations were accurate.
The inquiry was launched after it emerged the hotel’s costs – previously estimated at £57million – had soared to £98million. Unite currently pays £1million to Labour as an affiliation fee, plus thousands more in political donations, making it the party’s largest funder.
Last night Mr McCluskey told the Daily Mail: ‘The inquiry will answer all questions.’