Teaching union to hold its first leadership ballot for a generation

The NASUWT teaching union will hold its first contested leadership election for a generation after a challenger emerged to Matt Wrack, the former firefighters' union general secretary who was initially appointed to the role unopposed.

- Richard Adams

Neil Butler, an NASUWT official who won a legal battle against the union's national executive to run, has passed the threshold required to be a candidate, triggering a members' vote against Wrack later this year.

Wayne Broom, the union's president, said: "Following the close of nominations, there is now a contested election and we will move to a ballot of members." Broom said the election would begin on 19 June and close on 23 July.

The result sets up an ideologically charged contest between Wrack, a leftwinger, and the traditionally more moderate union mainstream.