Britain's largest trade union, Unite, has officially endorsed Jeremy Corbyn in the Labour Party leadership election, delivering a significant boost to the left-wing candidate. The union's executive committee voted on Sunday to back Corbyn, with shadow health secretary Andy Burnham as its second preference. The decision is seen as a snub to Burnham, who had been the bookmakers' favourite and expected to secure support from major unions.
Unite, Labour's most generous donor, cited Corbyn's anti-austerity stance as the key reason for its endorsement. A union spokesman stated: 'The backing for Jeremy Corbyn was in recognition that his policies were most closely aligned with those of Unite.' Corbyn, who only secured a place on the ballot after MPs lent him their votes, has called for the party to reject austerity. He has also received backing from the RMT, Aslef, the Fire Brigades Union, and the Bakers' union.
The endorsement comes amid anger among some senior union figures over criticism of anti-austerity policies by other leadership candidates. Unite's decision could be followed by financial donations, though no decision has been made yet. The union will not back any candidate for deputy leader but recommends members support either Angela Eagle or Tom Watson.
Corbyn welcomed the endorsement, saying it underlined his campaign's growing momentum. 'The leadership election is about one issue above others: whether we accept another five years of a race to the bottom based on cuts that destroy services and damage living standards, or whether we invest our way to growth and fairness,' he said. Corbyn remains a 16/1 outsider, trailing behind Burnham, Yvette Cooper, and Liz Kendall.
