Bridget Phillipson secured no endorsements from Unite members for the Labour deputy leadership, Sky News can reveal, as the union faced accusations of “stitching up” the nomination process.
The union opted not to back a candidate despite there being votes for Lucy Powell but none for Ms Phillipson, minutes of the nomination meeting show.
Sky News has spoken to two members of Unite’s executive council, which decided on the nomination process when it met on 22 September, who believe it was “set up” in favour of no nomination – a stance they said was preferred by Sharon Graham, the general secretary.
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Ms Graham has frequently spoken of the possibility of Unite’s disaffiliation from Labour. At the weekend, she renewed that threat, telling Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “That time is getting close.”
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Andy Green, chair of Unite’s Executive Council, told Sky News “categorically that the decision taken to not nominate any candidate for deputy leader of the Labour Party was taken in full accordance with the rules of the union”.
Minutes of the executive council meeting, seen by Sky News, show that while 22 members voted for Ms Powell, who was sacked as Commons leader in Sir Keir Starmer’s most recent reshuffle, no members supported her rival, the education secretary.
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In total, 26 members voted in favour of Unite’s proposal to endorse neither candidate.
One of the members who was present at the meeting, and who voted for Ms Powell, claimed the meeting was “pre-planned to go against Lucy because it would look bad for Sharon if we voted for someone at Labour”.
They said previous comments Ms Powell had made about striking bin workers in Birmingham were read out to “deter” people from voting for her, while there was “very little discussion on Bridget at all”.
The nomination process was also labelled a “stitch up” because the union failed to invite the national Labour Party liaison committee to represent both candidates at the meeting.
“If the committee had been allowed in, they could have given a better overview of why each candidate would have been better for trade unions,” the source said.
“To not invite them was ridiculous. It was a clear ploy.”
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The second member of the executive claimed they were not allowed into the meeting despite seeking to join before the vote took place.
‘An outright lie’
Mr Green rejected the claims that some people were excluded from the meeting and claimed the Labour Party liaison committee was consulted beforehand.
“Nobody was excluded from attending the meeting and any suggestion otherwise would be an outright lie,” he said.
“The decision was taken following consultation with reps and activists including Unite’s Labour liaison committee.
“It was clear to a majority of the executive council that the union could not in good conscience support any candidate who had chosen to openly criticise Unite members, particularly those engaged in lengthy and difficult disputes.”
He added: “Unfortunately, there are some individuals within Unite who remain determined to take the union back to the factional politics of Len McCluskey.
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“The general secretary has delivered on her promise to end Unite’s open cheque book relationship with Labour and to take our union back to the workplace, winning hundreds of millions of pounds from successful disputes.
“The decision to remain affiliated to Labour lies with a rules conference, with delegates who are representatives of workers. Unite under Sharon Graham puts workers first.”
‘School-ground politics’
The accusations against Unite speak to a wider struggle within the union about its relationship with the Labour Party. Nominations for Ms Powell have been interpreted as a signal from some members that the union should retain its links with Labour, in spite of policy differences.
Since her election as general secretary in 2021, Ms Graham has sought to move Unite’s focus away from the Labour Party and on to industrial disputes, in what has been interpreted as direct repudiation of her predecessor, Len McCluskey.
The Birmingham bin dispute and the union’s relationship with Labour is likely to play a prominent role in her campaign for re-election as general secretary.
But critics of her approach within the union say it has made Unite an “outlier” and “irrelevant”.
“You’re not always going to agree with the Labour Party, but we need that dialogue and to be able to work with the government in the best interests of our workers,” the second member said.
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“This shouldn’t have been a beauty contest for the general secretary election. It’s school-ground politics.”
Ms Powell has pitched herself as a “strong independent voice” who will “speak truth to power”.
By contrast, Ms Phillipson has been portrayed as Number 10’s pick in the race – something she said she rejected with a “certain irony” after she claimed she was subject to a number of “sexist briefings” during the summer over whether she would keep her job.
Ms Phillipson has secured the nomination of six unions, including two of the largest, Unison and GMB, while Ms Powell has the backing of the left-wing Communication Workers Union and the Fire Brigades Union.
She is, however, leading with CLP nominations, with the backing of 268 local branches compared with 165 for the education secretary.
