Members of the Unite union (1.4m members) voted by 87% on a 19% turnout to renew the union’s political fund. By law, a ballot must be held every ten years to decide upon whether a union can maintain its fund - which then allows unions to lawfully spend money on campaigning on political matters to support their unions’ policies. But Unite isn’t stopping there as it is working to have a large number of members among the Labour candidates for the 2015 general election, so much so that voices within the party are raising against this. (Ref. 130351)
Unite is the largest union affiliate to Labour and also its biggest donor, donating £8.5m (about €9.9m) in the last two and a half years. However, the renewal of the political fund comes at a time when increasing resistance is meeting Unite’s strategy of regaining influence within Labour.
Unite wants to see labour policies in both opposition and government that reflect its own policies. It also believes that unless Ed Miliband, Labour leader, and Labour move to the left, neither they will not of
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