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Ed Miliband will lose election if he is 'seduced' by Blairites, says union chief Ed Miliband will lose election if he is 'seduced' by Blairites, says union chief
(5 months later)
Ed Miliband will lose the next general election if he allows himself to be "seduced" by supporters of Tony Blair and offers voters an "austerity-lite" programme, the Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey, has warned.Ed Miliband will lose the next general election if he allows himself to be "seduced" by supporters of Tony Blair and offers voters an "austerity-lite" programme, the Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey, has warned.
The leader of Britain's largest trade union, who confirmed that Unite is "having some successes" in seeing its supporters selected as Labour candidates, tells Miliband he must face down Blairites or find himself "cast into the dustbin of history".The leader of Britain's largest trade union, who confirmed that Unite is "having some successes" in seeing its supporters selected as Labour candidates, tells Miliband he must face down Blairites or find himself "cast into the dustbin of history".
In an interview with the New Statesman, McCluskey said: "Ed Miliband must spend most of his waking hours grappling with what lies before him. If he is brave enough to go for something radical, he'll be the next prime minister. If he gets seduced by the Jim Murphys [shadow defence secretary] and the Douglas Alexanders [shadow foreign secretary], then the truth is that he'll be defeated and he'll be cast into the dustbin of history."In an interview with the New Statesman, McCluskey said: "Ed Miliband must spend most of his waking hours grappling with what lies before him. If he is brave enough to go for something radical, he'll be the next prime minister. If he gets seduced by the Jim Murphys [shadow defence secretary] and the Douglas Alexanders [shadow foreign secretary], then the truth is that he'll be defeated and he'll be cast into the dustbin of history."
The Unite general secretary, who also criticised the shadow work and pensions secretary, Liam Byrne, and said Miliband must offer a radical alternative to the programme of cuts to prevent David Cameron running a "stick with me" campaign.The Unite general secretary, who also criticised the shadow work and pensions secretary, Liam Byrne, and said Miliband must offer a radical alternative to the programme of cuts to prevent David Cameron running a "stick with me" campaign.
"My personal fear, and that of my union, is that if he goes to the electorate with an 'austerity-lite' programme then he will get defeated," he said. "I'm fairly confident that Cameron will go to the electorate in two years' time and basically his message will be: 'Stick with me.'"My personal fear, and that of my union, is that if he goes to the electorate with an 'austerity-lite' programme then he will get defeated," he said. "I'm fairly confident that Cameron will go to the electorate in two years' time and basically his message will be: 'Stick with me.'
"I've just observed Barack Obama being elected as president of the US, where there was a very similar message that he put out to the American people, he repeated over and over again, stick with me. And they did do. And so my fear is that if Ed is simply offering the British electorate an austerity-lite programme, that won't capture their imagination.""I've just observed Barack Obama being elected as president of the US, where there was a very similar message that he put out to the American people, he repeated over and over again, stick with me. And they did do. And so my fear is that if Ed is simply offering the British electorate an austerity-lite programme, that won't capture their imagination."
McCluskey spoke out after Tony Blair warned in the recent centenary edition of the New Statesman that Labour must avoid returning to its "comfort zone" in which it attacks government cuts without spelling out a credible alternative.McCluskey spoke out after Tony Blair warned in the recent centenary edition of the New Statesman that Labour must avoid returning to its "comfort zone" in which it attacks government cuts without spelling out a credible alternative.
The Unite general secretary said: "My message to Ed is to take no notice of the siren voices from the boardrooms of JP Morgan or wherever else he [Blair] is at the moment … It may be easy for these people, who are sitting with the huge sums of money that they've amassed now – they've done pretty well out of it … But the fact is that under Labour the gap between rich and poor increased … that's a stain on what Labour stands for."The Unite general secretary said: "My message to Ed is to take no notice of the siren voices from the boardrooms of JP Morgan or wherever else he [Blair] is at the moment … It may be easy for these people, who are sitting with the huge sums of money that they've amassed now – they've done pretty well out of it … But the fact is that under Labour the gap between rich and poor increased … that's a stain on what Labour stands for."
Unite faced criticism in recent weeks after the Times reported that the union has "stitched up" many seats for its supporters ahead of next year's European parliamentary elections. McCluskey was unapologetic about his union's tactics.Unite faced criticism in recent weeks after the Times reported that the union has "stitched up" many seats for its supporters ahead of next year's European parliamentary elections. McCluskey was unapologetic about his union's tactics.
"The truth is that this is a process that was set up by Tony Blair, and the rightwing and organisations like Progress have had it their own way for years and years and have seen nothing wrong in it," McCluskey said."The truth is that this is a process that was set up by Tony Blair, and the rightwing and organisations like Progress have had it their own way for years and years and have seen nothing wrong in it," McCluskey said.
"Because we're having some success, suddenly these people are crying foul. Well I'm delighted to read it. I'm delighted when Blair and everyone else intervenes because it demonstrates that we are having an impact and an influence and we'll continue to do so.""Because we're having some success, suddenly these people are crying foul. Well I'm delighted to read it. I'm delighted when Blair and everyone else intervenes because it demonstrates that we are having an impact and an influence and we'll continue to do so."
McCluskey qualified his remarks by saying that Miliband has done a "good job" since his election as Labour leader in 2010.McCluskey qualified his remarks by saying that Miliband has done a "good job" since his election as Labour leader in 2010.
David Miliband won most votes among Labour MPs and MEPs and Labour party members. But Ed Miliband prevailed after the main union leaders agreed to back him as the most likely candidate to beat his brother.David Miliband won most votes among Labour MPs and MEPs and Labour party members. But Ed Miliband prevailed after the main union leaders agreed to back him as the most likely candidate to beat his brother.
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