The fight over who will be the next leader of Unite is important for the direction of the labour movement in Britain and for the leadership of the Labour Party. On both counts Len McCluskey should be supported in his bid to be re-elected as General Secretary.
The main battle is between McCluskey and his right-wing opponent Gerard Coyne. The candidacy of Ian Allinson is in reality an irrelevant distraction, whose only effect could be to divert votes from the left.
The primary purpose of trade unions is to defend their members’ interests. It is mainly on these grounds that McCluskey should be supported and Coyne defeated.
Coyne has also campaigned as the anti-Corbyn candidate, which is a position that is also against Unite members’ interests. Jeremy Corbyn is the sole credible anti-austerity leader of the Labour Party. If he is replaced it will be by a leader who accepts Tory austerity, which lowers the living standards of all Unite members and of the overwhelming majority of society.
McCluskey has already demonstrated as General Secretary that in this election he is the candidate who will fight hardest to protect Unite members’ jobs, pay and living standards.
Unite members who want to defend their own interests and those of the rest of society should vote McCluskey. Socialists should give him their full support.
For more information visit the Unite 4 Len website.