This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/dec/06/len-mccluskey-expected-to-resign-as-unite-head-in-order-to-stay-longer
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Len McCluskey expected to resign as Unite head – in order to stay longer Len McCluskey expected to resign as Unite head – in order to stay longer | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Len McCluskey is expected to resign this week as head of Britain’s biggest union in an effort to seek a third term in office. | Len McCluskey is expected to resign this week as head of Britain’s biggest union in an effort to seek a third term in office. |
| The Unite general secretary told members of the union on Monday that he plans to stand down on Wednesday, union sources have claimed, sparking an election with rivals. | The Unite general secretary told members of the union on Monday that he plans to stand down on Wednesday, union sources have claimed, sparking an election with rivals. |
| A resignation could raise intriguing questions for the future of the Labour movement, including Jeremy Corbyn whose leadership has been generously supported by McCluskey. | A resignation could raise intriguing questions for the future of the Labour movement, including Jeremy Corbyn whose leadership has been generously supported by McCluskey. |
| Unite is now Labour’s largest donor and has provided a number of staff members for Corbyn’s office. The union’s supporters hold crucial votes on Labour’s national executive committee and McCluskey’s friend Karie Murphy is Corbyn’s office manager. | Unite is now Labour’s largest donor and has provided a number of staff members for Corbyn’s office. The union’s supporters hold crucial votes on Labour’s national executive committee and McCluskey’s friend Karie Murphy is Corbyn’s office manager. |
| McCluskey, 66, was elected to serve a five-year term in 2013 and would be under pressure to retire when it ends. | McCluskey, 66, was elected to serve a five-year term in 2013 and would be under pressure to retire when it ends. |
| His supporters want him to extend his leadership of the union leading up to a general election, allowing him to continue support for “the Corbyn project”, a source said. | His supporters want him to extend his leadership of the union leading up to a general election, allowing him to continue support for “the Corbyn project”, a source said. |
| “He will resign as general secretary on Wednesday and will commit to only serving three years after which he says he will retire,” one source said. | “He will resign as general secretary on Wednesday and will commit to only serving three years after which he says he will retire,” one source said. |
| The Unite executive committee began meeting in London today. McCluskey told a meeting of the union’s Unite Now faction that instead of trying to amend the union’s rule book, he would stand down within days to spark an early election next year, a source said. | The Unite executive committee began meeting in London today. McCluskey told a meeting of the union’s Unite Now faction that instead of trying to amend the union’s rule book, he would stand down within days to spark an early election next year, a source said. |
| The union’s rules state that elections can only take place before the end of the general secretary’s five-year term if he or she retires, resigns or dies. | The union’s rules state that elections can only take place before the end of the general secretary’s five-year term if he or she retires, resigns or dies. |
| Last week, sources had claimed that McCluskey hoped to overturn the rule by getting support from three-quarters of the union’s executive committee. | Last week, sources had claimed that McCluskey hoped to overturn the rule by getting support from three-quarters of the union’s executive committee. |
| Sources said that McCluskey has decided not to seek to change the rules after realising that he would struggle to garner enough support. | Sources said that McCluskey has decided not to seek to change the rules after realising that he would struggle to garner enough support. |
| Unite is Britain’s biggest union, with 1.4 million members, and provided Corbyn’s 2015 campaign for leadership with £175,000 as well as office space. | Unite is Britain’s biggest union, with 1.4 million members, and provided Corbyn’s 2015 campaign for leadership with £175,000 as well as office space. |
| McCluskey, born in Liverpool, is a former Militant sympathiser who served as the national secretary of the TGWU general workers group from 1990. In 2007, he was appointed as the assistant general secretary of the newly created Unite which was founded through a merger of the TGWU and Amicus. | McCluskey, born in Liverpool, is a former Militant sympathiser who served as the national secretary of the TGWU general workers group from 1990. In 2007, he was appointed as the assistant general secretary of the newly created Unite which was founded through a merger of the TGWU and Amicus. |
| He was elected as general secretary in November 2010 and played a decisive role in the Labour leadership contest through the endorsement of Ed Miliband. He later fell out with Miliband over Falkirk where Murphy was attempting to become Labour’s parliamentary candidate. | He was elected as general secretary in November 2010 and played a decisive role in the Labour leadership contest through the endorsement of Ed Miliband. He later fell out with Miliband over Falkirk where Murphy was attempting to become Labour’s parliamentary candidate. |
| Unite’s spokespersons did not respond on Monday night to requests for a statement. | Unite’s spokespersons did not respond on Monday night to requests for a statement. |