Curran to review links with Party

The new general secretary elect of the GMB general union has said he will undertake a "membership-led review" of the union's links with the Labour Party.

Northern regional secretary Kevin Curran, who beat rival Paul Kenny by nearly two to one in last month's leadership election, describes himself as "Sensible Labour".

At the start of the election campaign he had been billed by the media as "Downing Street's favourite" for the job but had countered that with scathing comments about a number of government policies, particularly on privatisation.

He said: "When a private company has to choose between profit margins and providing a first class public service, they will choose the former. They always do. It is called capitalism."

The election was held at the same time as a ballot for a new deputy general secretary, which was won by Curran's "running mate", Debbie Coulter. She fended off five other candidates to become the first woman to hold such a senior position in the union's history.

GMB election

Kevin Curran 60,590

Paul Kenny 32,954

Turnout 16%