Len McCluskey threatens to cut Unite funding to Labour over anti-Semitism payouts
Leader of party’s biggest donor calls whistle-blower settlements an ‘abuse of members’ money’
The head of Labour’s biggest union backer has ordered a review of its donations to the party following Keir Starmer’s decision to pay damages to former staff who became anti-Semitism whistle-blowers.
The party agreed in the High Court last month to pay undisclosed six-figure settlements for making “false and defamatory” comments about seven ex-employees who spoke out last year in a BBC Panorama documentary titled Is Labour Anti-Semitic?, The Telegraph reports.
But Len McCluskey claims that “a lot” of the funds used to pay the settlements came from Unite. “It’s an abuse of members’ money,” McCluskey told The Observer this weekend.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“I’m already being asked all kinds of questions by my executive. It’s as though a huge sign has been put up outside the Labour Party with ‘queue here with your writ and get your payment over there’.”
He added that Starmer should not to “take for granted” continued funding from Unite, which gave Labour almost £6m last year, and warned that the party could “go under” if it steers too far to the right.
McCluskey has been praised by left-leaning Labour MPs for ordering the funding review, reports The Guardian. “Len said what a lot of us have been thinking,” said an unnamed politician.
The union chief is a close ally of former Labour boss Jeremy Corbyn, who claims that his team was advised while he was in charge that the “party had a strong defence” against the complainants.
However, according to The Telegraph’s political correspondent Harry Yorke, Corbyn has been accused of “unleashing a wave of legal claims against Labour that threaten to leave the party at risk of bankruptcy” as a result of his handling of anti-Semitism allegations.
Yorke has reported that Labour is facing “at least 40 further civil claims”, many of which relate to a leaked internal report compiled during the last few months of Corbyn’s leadership that “included allegations over the conduct of former Labour Party officials and named complainants in anti-Semitism cases”.
Corbyn’s criticism of Starmer’s decision to pay damages to the anti-Semitism whistle-blowers has reportedly further “infuriated Jewish campaigners” and prompted new legel claims against the former Labour leader and the party.
Mark Lewis, the libel lawyer who represented Panorama journalist John Ware and the former Labour officials, confirmed last month that he had been instructed by 32 people to take action over the leaked report.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Post Office's Capture software to be reviewed over 'glitches'
Speed Read Solicitor representing accused postmasters says flaws in the IT system follow 'very similar pattern' to Horizon
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
How would we know if World War Three had started?
Today's Big Question With conflicts in Ukraine, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, the 'spark' that could ignite all-out war 'already exists'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Death Cafe: where people talk mortality over tea and cake
Why everyone's talking about The meet-ups are intended to offer a judgement-free and respectful space to discuss the end of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Barack Obama 'behind Starmer transformation'
Under The Radar The former US president urged Labour leader to 'talk more openly'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Will Aukus pact survive a second Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question US, UK and Australia seek to expand 'game-changer' defence partnership ahead of Republican's possible return to White House
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Britain's biggest political donors
The Explainer With the 2024 general election set to be the highest-spending contest ever we look at who is giving to which party and why
By The Week UK Published
-
Keir Starmer: The Biography – five things we learned
Why everyone's talking about New book offers glimpses behind the Labour leader's political persona
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What will £28bn green investment U-turn cost Labour?
Today's Big Question Dropping flagship pledge 'will confirm workers' scepticism of the endless promises of jam tomorrow', said union leader
By The Week UK Published
-
Why your local council may be going bust
The Explainer Across England, local councils are suffering from grave financial problems
By The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak and the right-wing press: heading for divorce?
Talking Point The Telegraph launches 'assault' on PM just as many Tory MPs are contemplating losing their seats
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet, The Week UK Published