Workers unite to stop Red Len

THE last time Labour pressed the self-destruct button, in the Eighties, it took sensible trades union leaders to rescue the party from the abyss.

Don’t believe the propaganda that it was all down to Peter Mandelson’s pretty red rose logo.

The heavy lifting was done by moderates in the transport workers’, engineers’ and builders’ unions.

Capturing control of the country’s biggest union was pivotal. Back then it was the TGWU, which has mutated into Unite.

‘red’ Len McCluskey, the union’s 66-year old leader, obviously intends to do a robert Mugabe, effectively becoming President for Life.

Under McCluskey, Unite is propping up the Corbynistas and Momentum, the modern-day Militant Ten- dency. McCluskey, above, controls Labour because he controls the money — his members’ hard-earned subscriptions, don’t forget.

And even though he pretends that he’s growing impatient with Corbyn, he would only install another hardliner as his successor.

He’s now up for re-election, facing a strong challenge from Midlands official Gerard Coyne, coincidentally the son-in-law of my old mate Bill Jordan, the ex-engineering workers’ leader who did so much to seize control from the hardLeft three decades ago.

Coyne says he’d cut off the cash and stop Unite interfering in national politics.

Like most people, I’m not pining for a Labour government. But the Tories need a proper opposition.

The only way ahead for despairing Labour supporters who want to restore some sanity is for Unite members to reject McCluskey and vote for Gerard Coyne.