Unison union elects first female leader, in boost for Keir Starmer

Christina McAnea saw off candidates endorsed by Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell

Mcanea wants an early pay rise for NHS staff (Unison)

The UK’s largest trade union and Labour’s biggest donor, Unison, has elected its first female leader, in a boost to Sir Keir Starmer which delivered a blow to the party’s left.

Christina McAnea, who was an assistant general secretary at the union, took 47 per cent of the vote in the race to succeed Dave Prentis, defeating candidates backed by former party leader Jeremy Corbyn and ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell.

A union official since the 1980s who has largely steered clear of internal Labour battles, Ms McAnea is thought likely to be broadly supportive of Starmer after taking up her new role on 22 January.

Her election comes amid continuing tensions between Sir Keir and the unions over the suspension of Mr Corbyn from the parliamentary party.

McDonnell-backed rival Paul Holmes, who took second place with 34 per cent, has called for Corbyn’s reinstatement.

And longtime Corbyn ally Roger McKenzie, who took 11 per cent after being endorsed by the former leader, made clear he was ready to rethink the union’s financial support for Labour, warning he would not “blindly finance” the party if Starmer changed policies.

Ms McAnea said her priorities as general secretary of the 1.3 million-member union will be “supporting public service workers through the pandemic, securing an early pay rise for NHS staff and ensuring the government backs down on its plans for an ill-judged pay freeze”.

And she added: “Pushing for the funding and the political will to create a quality, affordable national care service, where staff are respected and paid fairly, comes close behind.”

Leaving his leadership position after 20 years, Mr Prentis said: “This is a historic day for our union, and I am delighted that Christina – a close friend and colleague for over 30 years – has today been elected as general secretary of our great union.

“I am so proud that our union of over a million women now has its very first woman leader. Christina will be a fantastic general secretary, as she presides over a growing union.”

Elections are coming soon in two other major unions which make significant donations to Labour.

Len McCluskey is due to stand down shortly at Unite, the country’s second-biggest union.

And the GMB is currently without a general secretary after Tim Roache stood down as an internal investigation was launched into his personal conduct.