Unite retains fund

The massive vote by the largest UK union, Unite, to retain its political fund has given it “a new mandate to campaign” against the government’s austerity policies, according to general secretary Len McCluskey.

Almost nine in 10 (87.4%) of Unite’s 1.4 million members voted in favour, a bigger majority than was achieved by the union’s predecessor unions a decade ago.

The vote follows the resounding result in favour of retaining a fund at professionals’ union Prospect earlier this year.