Sir Keir Starmer's premiership faces a potentially catastrophic threat as Labour's most significant trade union supporter, Unite, considers a historic disaffiliation from the party. Senior officials within the union are said to be discussing an emergency vote to sever formal ties, a move driven by intense frustration over the Prime Minister's leadership and policy direction.
A Relationship in Crisis
According to reports, there are 'intense frustrations' among both Unite's leadership and its grassroots members. This follows a series of public attacks by the union on Labour's recent policies. Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, has repeatedly warned that the party is drifting too far to the right and breaking promises made to working people.
One Labour MP described the situation as critically important but 'dysfunctional', while another suggested the party may need a more left-wing replacement for Starmer to win back the union's support. Leadership rivals are also allegedly seizing the opportunity to build closer ties with unions ahead of any future contest.
The Financial and Political Stakes
The potential loss of Unite's support would strike a major blow to the Labour Party. Unite is Labour's biggest financial donor, contributing approximately £1.5 million annually from its membership fees. Some within the parliamentary party believe losing this backing could be catastrophic and even cost Sir Keir his position as Prime Minister.
A formal vote on disaffiliation would typically need to wait for Unite's next rules conference, scheduled for 2027. However, The Telegraph reports that the union's executive council is considering calling an emergency rules conference to bring the vote forward.
Broken Promises and 'Stealth Taxes'
The rift has widened following recent government decisions that Unite claims target workers. Sharon Graham has been particularly critical of the watering-down of the Employment Rights Bill, which would have granted employees the right to claim unfair dismissal from their first day in a job.
She also condemned the Chancellor's Budget, arguing it continued a 'shameful stealth tax' on ordinary people. 'One in four workers, many of them Unite members, face paying higher tax rates in the future,' Graham stated. She emphasised that the frozen income thresholds mean the Budget was 'not a workers' budget'.
Graham's central accusation is a breach of trust. 'Those promises, which were campaigned on, have failed to be delivered. Broken. Workers have been left unable to trust Labour,' she said, speaking for the union's one million members. This fundamental breakdown in trust now threatens to end one of the Labour movement's most enduring and financially critical relationships.
