How much does Labour still depend on union support?

As if Keir Starmer hasn’t enough of a challenge leading his troubled party, money is also becoming a bit of a problem.

- SEAN O'GRADY

The Unite union, Britain’s second-biggest with 1.1 million members, is cutting its contributions to the Labour Party by 40 per cent – down by 580,000. This will still leave Labour in receipt of close to £900,000, and Unite members as its single largest source of funds, but the move is symbolic of disillusionment as well as being materially significant. The trade union movement, which helped found the party 126 years ago, is unhappy.

What’s this about?

Bins. The Birmingham bin strike will enter its second year in March, much to the distress of the proud people of that great historic city. The Labour-controlled council has been in dispute with Unite, which represents refuse workers, over pay and conditions, with no end in sight.

The cut in Unite’s donation to the Labour Party is explicitly to put pressure on the council to settle things, although Birmingham’s perilous financial situation - it is effectively bankrupt - makes that especially difficult.

The union declared: “Unite has made it clear that the actions of Labour against the Birmingham bin workers will not continue to be tolerated. As well as an escalation of the strike in Birmingham, Unite has voted to cut its Labour affiliation by £580,000. This move is unprecedented and shows the anger of Unite members.