{"id":321267,"date":"2025-12-17T17:03:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T17:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/321267\/"},"modified":"2025-12-17T17:03:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T17:03:11","slug":"left-wing-candidate-andrea-egan-beats-starmer-ally-to-lead-unison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/321267\/","title":{"rendered":"Left-wing candidate Andrea Egan beats Starmer ally to lead Unison"},"content":{"rendered":"

Becky Morton,Political reporterand<\/p>\n

Joe Pike,Political correspondent<\/p>\n

\"GettyGetty Images<\/p>\n

Andrea Egan was expelled from the Labour Party three years ago<\/p>\n

Left-wing candidate Andrea Egan has been elected as the new leader of Unison, the UK’s biggest trade union, in a blow to Sir Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n

Ms Egan, who was expelled from the Labour Party three years ago, beat the union’s current general secretary Christina McAnea, an ally of the prime minister.<\/p>\n

Following her election, Ms Egan promised to “stand up to any employer, politician or cabinet minister who acts against our interests”.<\/p>\n

During her campaign, she had pledged to hold Labour’s “feet to the fire” and refuse to write the party “blank cheques”.<\/p>\n

Congratulating Ms Egan on her victory, Sir Keir said he looked forward to working with her.<\/p>\n

The PM also praised Ms McAnea’s “outstanding contribution to the Labour and trade union movement”.<\/p>\n

“She played an important role in securing the landmark Employment Rights Bill and her work has ensured this Labour government will bring in a fair pay agreement to boost the wages of social care workers,” he added.<\/p>\n

With more than 1.3 million members working in sectors providing public services, including education, local government, the NHS and the police, Unison is the UK’s biggest trade union.<\/p>\n

Ms Egan won just under 60% of the vote, although turnout was low, with fewer than 100,000 of the union’s members taking part.<\/p>\n

She will begin her five-year term in January.<\/p>\n

In a statement following her victory, Ms Egan said: “This result means ordinary Unison members are at long last taking charge of our union.<\/p>\n

“We will put faith in members’ decisions and stand up to any employer, politician or cabinet minister who acts against our interests.”<\/p>\n

Ms Egan’s election was welcomed by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his new left-wing group, Your Party.<\/p>\n

A Your Party spokesperson said: “Andrea’s victory on an anti-austerity ticket shows that working-class people won’t take more cuts and more decline.<\/p>\n

“Unison members have said no to Starmer’s crumbs off the table, no to chronic low pay, no to underfunding and no to privatisation.”<\/p>\n

Ms Egan, who has served as Unison’s president since 2022, has criticised welfare cuts, backed a wealth tax and called for a reversal of “austerity” in schools and local government.<\/p>\n

She has described Sir Keir’s agenda as “reactionary”, accusing the government of “attacking the living standards” of union members.<\/p>\n

During her campaign, she pledged to end Unison’s “subservience” to Labour and review its relationship with the party to ensure “value for money” and advance the union’s policies.<\/p>\n

Unison is one of Labour’s biggest financial backers, donating \u00a31.49m during last year’s general election campaign.<\/p>\n

Ms Egan has said she will not take the \u00a3181,000 salary on offer for Unison’s general secretary, instead receiving the wage of social worker, her current career.<\/p>\n

\"PAPA Media<\/p>\n

Christina McAnea has been Unison’s general secretary since 2021<\/p>\n

Ms McAnea’s defeat weakens Sir Keir’s strong grip on the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC), which has two representatives from Unison.<\/p>\n

“It makes [controlling] the NEC harder,” a Labour source said.<\/p>\n

Ms McAnea was one of the PM’s most solid and vocal supporters amongst trade union leaders and is close to Sir Keir’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney.<\/p>\n

In contrast, Ms Egan is to the left of Labour and was expelled from the party in 2022 for sharing online articles from a Marxist group.<\/p>\n

She could apply to rejoin in 2027, after a five-year block.<\/p>\n

“The impact on Labour and Keir is huge,” said one insider.<\/p>\n

“But there’s not much the party or government could have done. The campaigning work was clearly not done by Christina’s team with such low turnout.”<\/p>\n

Another Labour source said frustration with the state of the economy would have encouraged some Unison members to back a new leader.<\/p>\n

“The general malaise and low real incomes will have mobilised the dissenters,” they said. <\/p>\n

“It can’t help but be a reflection on Keir and Rachel [Reeves] but it’s not primarily that.”<\/p>\n

The UK’s two biggest unions – Unite and Unison – will now be led by left-wing leaders who are critical of the government.<\/p>\n

Some in Labour believe this could put pressure on the bosses of moderate unions like USDAW and GMB to be more vocal in their criticism of government policies.<\/p>\n

Ms Egan’s election and Unison’s influence on the NEC could also make it easier for Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to be selected to fight a by-election and potentially become an MP.<\/p>\n

The NEC has a key role in shortlisting candidates for parliamentary seats.<\/p>\n

previously told House magazine<\/a>: “I am a fan of Andy. I mean, he’s the King of the North!”<\/p>\n

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