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| Unite union accused of manipulating Labour selection procedures | Unite union accused of manipulating Labour selection procedures |
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| Unite, Britain's largest trade union, has been accused of manipulating Labour selection procedures in an attempt to wield more power within the party. | Unite, Britain's largest trade union, has been accused of manipulating Labour selection procedures in an attempt to wield more power within the party. |
| The former business secretary Lord Mandelson claimed at the weekend that a cabal at the top of the Labour national executive was trying to exert influence and warned Ed Miliband he "was storing up danger for himself and for a future Labour government over parliamentary selections". The latest row has focused on the seat of Falkirk, which will be vacated by former Labour MP Eric Joyce, who is standing down in 2015 after admitting assaulting four people in a Commons bar. | |
| The allegations centre on the way in which Karie Murphy, a Unite senior figure and an office worker for Tom Watson, the Labour vice-chair, has been pushed to win the nomination for the safe seat. | The allegations centre on the way in which Karie Murphy, a Unite senior figure and an office worker for Tom Watson, the Labour vice-chair, has been pushed to win the nomination for the safe seat. |
| Supporters of Murphy have been pushing for an all-women shortlist – but the selection process was deferred in February by Labour leaders after allegations of mass recruitment of Unite members to the constituency with their fees being paid en bloc by the union. | Supporters of Murphy have been pushing for an all-women shortlist – but the selection process was deferred in February by Labour leaders after allegations of mass recruitment of Unite members to the constituency with their fees being paid en bloc by the union. |
| It will now be scrutinised by the Labour organisation sub-committee . | It will now be scrutinised by the Labour organisation sub-committee . |
| Labour sources said they expected the all-women list for Falkirk to be confirmed, arguing there were too few women Scottish MPs. They added the Unite-backed candidate would no longer seek the nomination, but did not confirm she had stood aside due to controversy. | Labour sources said they expected the all-women list for Falkirk to be confirmed, arguing there were too few women Scottish MPs. They added the Unite-backed candidate would no longer seek the nomination, but did not confirm she had stood aside due to controversy. |
| The Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey, a frequent opponent of Blairites in the Labour party, says he is trying to ensure the parliamentary Labour party is more working class. But Mandelson claimed too many selections are being run by a cabal of union members. Speaking at a Progress conference, Mandelson said it was wrong to conflate trade unionists and the working classes. He also asked how a more open approach in politics could be squared with selection processes that left the outcome in the hands of one or two trade unions. He said Miliband would need MPs that are loyal to the party as a whole, not a section of it. One frontbench source said Unite was so active in winning selections that "if Ed Miliband wins the next election he will be in coalition with Unite, let alone the Liberal Democrats". | The Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey, a frequent opponent of Blairites in the Labour party, says he is trying to ensure the parliamentary Labour party is more working class. But Mandelson claimed too many selections are being run by a cabal of union members. Speaking at a Progress conference, Mandelson said it was wrong to conflate trade unionists and the working classes. He also asked how a more open approach in politics could be squared with selection processes that left the outcome in the hands of one or two trade unions. He said Miliband would need MPs that are loyal to the party as a whole, not a section of it. One frontbench source said Unite was so active in winning selections that "if Ed Miliband wins the next election he will be in coalition with Unite, let alone the Liberal Democrats". |
| Murphy's critics claim an all-women shortlist is a bid to stop rival candidates contesting the seat. They say they do not oppose all-women lists, but complain that no clear criteria is applied to decide the constituencies subject to all-women lists, leaving the decision open to manipulation. A group of long standing constituency members have already petitioned the Scottish party leadership, claiming Unite has paid for and conducted a survey of Falkirk members asking whether they want an all-women list. The survey, with an arguably loaded question, was not agreed by the party. The petition claims there has been "a pattern of behaviour in the convening of Falkirk CLP meetings in order to favour one candidate for selection and exclude fully paid up long standing members". | |
| Unite council executive minutes show that the union has in recent months recruited 100 members to the Falkirk party in a constituency with fewer than 200 members. | Unite council executive minutes show that the union has in recent months recruited 100 members to the Falkirk party in a constituency with fewer than 200 members. |
| The two other candidates, Linda Gow, a former leader of Falkirk council, and Gregor Poynton, UK political director at communications firm Blue State Digital, have written to local members to seek an open list. | The two other candidates, Linda Gow, a former leader of Falkirk council, and Gregor Poynton, UK political director at communications firm Blue State Digital, have written to local members to seek an open list. |
| Regardless of the individual allegations, there is a growing division in the party at the way in which Unite is using its financial muscle to influence the party. | Regardless of the individual allegations, there is a growing division in the party at the way in which Unite is using its financial muscle to influence the party. |
| Other flyers sent out by Unite invite its membership to attend a meeting in Ilford east London with McCluskey that offers to pay the member's first year of party membership. | Other flyers sent out by Unite invite its membership to attend a meeting in Ilford east London with McCluskey that offers to pay the member's first year of party membership. |
| The union also claims to have changed the party rule book to seek "to end the discrimination against working class candidates through the direct work of Unite's team, without which Progress or other right wing candidates would have been selected." | The union also claims to have changed the party rule book to seek "to end the discrimination against working class candidates through the direct work of Unite's team, without which Progress or other right wing candidates would have been selected." |
| Progress, a centrist pressure group, is seen by some unions as a party within a party. Unite executive council reports for January show the union claims to have been instrumental in the selection of the Labour candidates in Peterborough, Norwich, South Harlow, Hastings Tamworth as well as Crewe and Nantwich. | Progress, a centrist pressure group, is seen by some unions as a party within a party. Unite executive council reports for January show the union claims to have been instrumental in the selection of the Labour candidates in Peterborough, Norwich, South Harlow, Hastings Tamworth as well as Crewe and Nantwich. |
| Murphy has written to party members saying: "The Unite political strategy is based on ordinary union members joining their local Labour party and working with others to ensure our values are reflected in future party policy. We also want to ensure that people who share working class and trade union values are successfully selected as Labour party prospective parliamentary candidates in winnable constituencies just like Falkirk." | Murphy has written to party members saying: "The Unite political strategy is based on ordinary union members joining their local Labour party and working with others to ensure our values are reflected in future party policy. We also want to ensure that people who share working class and trade union values are successfully selected as Labour party prospective parliamentary candidates in winnable constituencies just like Falkirk." |
| • This article was amended on 14 May 2013 to correct the name of Eric Joyce's constituency. It is Falkirk, not Falkirk West. |