Corbyn’s return to Labour is ‘virtually impossible' says Curtice
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Last month Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham said all funding to Labour was “under review”, with the union not ruling out the prospect of slashing donations to zero. Such a move would severe the historic link between the two organisations, with Unite’s support for Sir Keir Starmer’s party said to be hanging by a thread.
Express.co.uk understands fringe groups of those who closely align with Mr Corbyn’s politics could see disaffiliation as their chance to start a new radically left wing political party to take on Labour at the ballot box.
Far left factional groups Labour Against the Witchhunt and the Labour in Exile Network, are considering starting a party to rival Sir Keir.
The groups were banned by the Labour’s National Executive Committee last summer, with those found to be members of either group automatically expelled from the party.
They accuse the current Labour leader of abandoning the radical policies adopted by Mr Corbyn and of attempting to appeal to the “ruling classes”.
An insider told this website: “They support forming a new party, but, critically, they do not support forming a new party until they can manipulate the unions.
“For as long as the major trade unions remain affiliated to the Labour Party, they will not move.
“Signs like this, that a union as big as Unite could disaffiliate are the kind of signs that will accelerate their drive towards thinking about forming a new party.”
Trade union disaffiliation from Labour and the formation of a mass movement of tens of thousands of people are both factors seen as key to forming a new party.
Preparation for a challenger to the Official Opposition has been in the works for months.
At a virtual meeting last July, supporters were told: “Over a period, a new party is coming into creation, and that will have the energy and the vitality that the Corbyn Labour Party was beginning to show that it had.”
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At the same time, localised groups of “shadow constituency Labour Parties” have been set up to challenge the work being conducted by the Opposition are a grassroots level.
The vision is for the groups to join up to form a “national linked-up shadow Labour Party”.
While organised by supporters of Mr Corbyn, there is no suggestion the former Labour leader is involved in the breakaway plan.
Unite threatened to withdraw all funding from Labour after it was left frustrated by Sir Keir failing to throw his support behind bin workers on strike in Coventry.
The union also did not deny there was a prospect of disaffiliation when The Mirror reported on the matter earlier this month.
A Unite spokesman said: “Sharon Graham is completely focused on ensuring that workers and communities do not pay the price for the pandemic.
“The lack of action by Labour to defend working people in the midst of the cost of living crisis has been symbolised by the disgraceful behaviour of the Labour Council in Coventry.
“In Coventry, the leader of the Labour council has engaged in strike breaking and attacked union representatives, all in a bid to suppress the pay of loyal bin drivers who worked through Covid. This disgraceful behaviour has no place in our movement.”
A spokeswoman for Sir Keir said labour and Unite were “resolutely focused on delivering the next Labour government”.
She added: “Keir and the Labour Party have a committed working relationship with Unite.
“We’re absolutely aligned in our determination to call out this Tory cost of living crisis, and to work with all trade unions to end the assault on working people.”
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