Keir Starmer has lost a key ally after left-wing candidate Andrea Egan was elected General Secretary of Unison, one of Labour's biggest union backers. Egan won nearly 60% of the vote, defeating incumbent Christina McAnea, who had led the union since 2021 and was a reliable ally of the Labour leader.
The result poses a major headache for Labour. Egan, who was expelled from the party in 2022, ran on a promise to review Unison's links with Labour. Her election could also shift the balance on Labour's ruling National Executive Committee.
Unison is the UK's largest trade union, with around 1.3 million members, mostly from the NHS, care and other public sector organisations. It is one of the most significant unions affiliated to the Labour Party and one of its biggest donors.
In a statement, Egan said: 'We public sector workers are on the frontlines of chronic underfunding, low pay, and outsourcing. This result means ordinary UNISON members are at long last taking charge of our union.' She has vowed not to take the General Secretary salary, accepting only a social worker's wage.
Starmer congratulated Egan, saying: 'I look forward to working with her.' He also thanked McAnea for her 'outstanding contribution' to the Labour and trade union movement. Labour Party General Secretary Hollie Ridley paid tribute to McAnea's role in securing the Employment Rights Bill.
