Sir Keir Starmer is braced for a significant political setback this week, with the future of one of his most influential union allies hanging in the balance.
Leadership Battle at UK's Largest Union
The Prime Minister faces a potential fresh blow on Wednesday as Christina McAnea, the current General Secretary of Unison, fights to retain her position against a challenge from the hard-Left. Her rival, Andrea Egan, a critic of Sir Keir who was expelled from the Labour Party in 2022, is posing a serious threat to Ms McAnea's re-election bid.
Unison, the UK's largest trade union with approximately 1.4 million members largely in the public sector, is a cornerstone of Labour's support. The union donated £1.5 million to Labour during last year's general election campaign and continues to provide substantial financial backing.
High Stakes for Labour's Internal Power
A victory for Andrea Egan would carry immediate and severe consequences for Sir Keir Starmer's authority within his own party. Crucially, it could deprive the Prime Minister of crucial backing on Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC), significantly weakening his control over the party's internal structures.
Allies of Sir Keir are reportedly awaiting the result with trepidation. Senior Labour sources have privately warned that a win for Ms Egan over the less radical incumbent would be "an utter disaster" for the leadership.
Ms Egan's manifesto promises a radical shift in Unison's relationship with the Labour government. She has vowed to conduct a "comprehensive review" of the link, attacked Ms McAnea for a "subservient approach", and declared it is "time for Unison's blank cheques to Labour to end." She has pledged to ensure the union gets "value for money" from its political affiliation.
Broader Political Ramifications
The implications extend beyond internal Labour mechanics. Ms Egan has welcomed the formation of the new left-wing movement, Your Party, founded by ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, describing it as a "viable alternative" to Labour.
Furthermore, she has raised the prospect of intensified industrial strife by promising to "oppose Government policies that harm our members," potentially setting the stage for more battles between ministers and public sector workers.
The result could also impact the political future of Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham. It has been claimed that an Egan victory would make it harder for Sir Keir to use the NEC to block a potential return to Westminster for Mr Burnham, who is said to be eyeing a parliamentary by-election as a springboard for a future leadership challenge.
In her defence, Christina McAnea has pushed back against claims she is too close to Downing Street, describing Unison as a "critical friend" to the Labour Party. She insists her view is that the party needs to adopt "more socialist policies." The outcome of Wednesday's vote will determine whether that critical friendship continues or if a far more adversarial era in union-Labour relations is about to begin.
