‘See you on the picket line’: Fears of even MORE strikes as Starmer ally union chief is ousted by exhausting Left challenger who vows to ‘arise’ to politicians and overview Labour money

The UK’s largest union stokes fears of even more strikes across the country after electing a new hard Left leader.

In a blow to Sir Keir Starmer Christina McAnea was ousted as the general secretary of Unison, and replaced by Andrea Egan, who has suggesting loosing its ties to Labour.

Ms Egan, who was expelled from Labour in 2022 for sharing material from a ‘Marxist group’, today vowed to ‘stand up to any employer or politician who acts against our interests’.

It raises the spectre of increased industrial action, on the day doctors began a five-day walkout in England in an ongoing row over jobs and pay, despite the NHS struggling with a major surge in flu cases. 

Jeremy Corbyn, whose new socialist Your Party has been praised by the new Unison boss, congratulated her on her appointment by saying: ‘See you on the picket line.’

Sir Keir added his congratulation and also praised the outgoing Ms McAnea for her ‘outstanding contribution to the Labour and trade union movement’.

Unison gave £1.5million to Labour during last year’s general election campaign and continues to bankroll the party with significant sums.

But Ms Egan has vowed to undertake a ‘comprehensive review’ of Unison’s relationship with Labour ‘to ensure we get value for money.’

She had attacked her rival in the election campaign for having a ‘subservient approach’ to the Labour Government and wrote in her election manifesto that it was ‘time for Unison’s blank cheques to Labour to end’.

Her victory today with 60 per cent of the vote means that both of the UK’s largest trade unions are in a position where they are threatening to pull millions in annual funding from Labour’s coffers in protest at Sir Keir’s leadership. 

She has also raised the prospect of more battles between ministers and public sector workers by pledging to ‘oppose Government policies that harm our members’.

Unison is the UK’s largest union with around 1.4million members across the public sector, including almost half a million working for the NHS.

Ms McAnea was elected as Unison’s general secretary in 2021 and has attempted to push back at suggestions she is too close to Sir Keir’s Downing Street.

She told The House magazine earlier this month: ‘We’re not a friendly union. What we are is not an unfriendly union but a critical friend to the Labour Party.

‘And we try and take our policies into them, not the other way around.

‘My view is very clearly that they need to adopt more socialist policies. That’s always been my position.’

Senior Labour sources had warned a victory for Ms Egan over Unison’s less radical incumbent general secretary would be ‘an utter disaster’.

It has also been claimed it would make it harder for Sir Keir to use the NEC to try and block a return to Westminster for Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.

Mr Burnham is said to be eyeing a parliamentary by-election to become an MP again, which would allow him to then launch a leadership challenge against Sir Keir.

Hollie Ridley, general secretary of the Labour Party, added her praise to that of the PM for the outgoing Ms McAnea.

‘Yesterday our landmark Employment Rights Bill passed its final Parliamentary hurdle, meaning we are now delivering the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation,’ she said.

‘This historic legislation wouldn’t have been possible without Christina’s steely determination to change our country for the better.

“Millions of workers across Britain will benefit from what she has delivered as the first woman to lead the UK’s largest trade union. Her passionate campaigning on social care in particular ensured our Labour Government can bring in a fair pay agreement for hardworking social care workers across the country.’