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| Len McCluskey's Unite challenger Gerard Coyne wants end to 'party politics' | Len McCluskey's Unite challenger Gerard Coyne wants end to 'party politics' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A new challenger to lead the UK's largest trade union says he will stop it "playing Westminster power games". | A new challenger to lead the UK's largest trade union says he will stop it "playing Westminster power games". |
| Gerard Coyne accused Unite's current general secretary, Len McCluskey, of "dabbling in politics all the time". | |
| Mr Coyne, the union's West Midlands secretary, launched his campaign for the top job in Birmingham. | |
| Unite is Labour's biggest donor and Mr McCluskey has been one of leader Jeremy Corbyn's key backers in the face of opposition from some MPs. | Unite is Labour's biggest donor and Mr McCluskey has been one of leader Jeremy Corbyn's key backers in the face of opposition from some MPs. |
| Mr McCluskey has already announced plans to resign as general secretary but to stand again for the position, a move which brings forward the election by a year. | Mr McCluskey has already announced plans to resign as general secretary but to stand again for the position, a move which brings forward the election by a year. |
| BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said Mr Coyne's challenge would be seen by the Labour leader's allies as a political attack. | BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said Mr Coyne's challenge would be seen by the Labour leader's allies as a political attack. |
| She added that Mr Coyne was understood to be concerned about Mr Corbyn's anti-Trident stance given that thousands of Unite members work in the defence industry. | She added that Mr Coyne was understood to be concerned about Mr Corbyn's anti-Trident stance given that thousands of Unite members work in the defence industry. |
| Announcing his candidacy on his Facebook page, Mr Coyne, who has worked for the union for more than 20 years having joined as a shop worker at Sainsbury's, said: "I believe our union needs to be changed so we can get on with the only job that matters; protecting and defending our members at work." | Announcing his candidacy on his Facebook page, Mr Coyne, who has worked for the union for more than 20 years having joined as a shop worker at Sainsbury's, said: "I believe our union needs to be changed so we can get on with the only job that matters; protecting and defending our members at work." |
| "We have got to be strong, smart and organised but we can't be distracted party politics. | "We have got to be strong, smart and organised but we can't be distracted party politics. |
| "As a candidate, my priority is making a real difference for you rather than playing Westminster power games. It's time we changed the union to reflect our members' priorities." | "As a candidate, my priority is making a real difference for you rather than playing Westminster power games. It's time we changed the union to reflect our members' priorities." |
| Speaking after launching his campaign at Birmingham's Fort Dunlop building, Mr Coyne said: "The reality here is there's been much criticism about the fact that the general secretary and the union more generally has just been dabbling in politics all the time. | |
| "I'm not going to fall into the trap of trying to determine who the leader of the Labour Party is. | |
| "I am saying that actually my focus is on the members. | |
| "It's not a political organisation, it's a trade union." | |
| The result of the contest, which will run into next spring, will dictate who has control over a huge network of political supporters, organisation, and financial infrastructure. | The result of the contest, which will run into next spring, will dictate who has control over a huge network of political supporters, organisation, and financial infrastructure. |