New Unite general secretary set to be announced
The country's biggest trade union is set to announce its new leader.
Voting closed on Monday in the race to succeed Len McCluskey as general secretary of Unite, with the result of a members' ballot due to be declared over the next 24 hours.
The three candidates for the role include Gerard Coyne, from West Bromwich, the former West Midlands regional secretary who was narrowly defeated by Mr McCluskey in the 2017 election.
He says he wants "real change" and has vowed to bring an end to the union's "meddling" in Westminster politics.
Billed as the only mainstream candidate against two others from Labour's hard-left, his campaign has taken him to Telford, where he joined GKN workers on the picket line, and Wolverhampton, where he met with union officials and workers at Marstons.
Mr Coyne, an ally of Sir Keir Starmer who is supported by Warley MP John Spellar, has pledged to give members "better value for their subs" and has hit out at the union's "lack of transparency" under Mr McCluskey.
He has vowed to bring the union into the modern age by improving access to technology and has unveiled plans to launch a £10 million skills fund.
Mr Coyne has also pledged an independent investigation into Unite's controversial Birmingham hotel and conference centre, which has seen costs spiral towards £100 million.
Steve Turner, the union's assistant general secretary for manufacturing, is considered the frontrunner by many. He received the highest number of branch nominations and is endorsed by Mr McCluskey and Howard Beckett - a former candidate who pulled out in an apparent bid not to split the hard left vote.
In recent weeks he has backed GKN workers in Birmingham, who launched a ballot for strike action over closure plans.
The trio is completed by Sharon Graham, the “workers’ candidate” who would be the union’s first female general secretary if elected.
During the campaign she said she received "disgraceful" online abuse after refusing to stand aside and get behind a left-wing "unity" candidate.
She has argued that Unite has moved "too far from our core business – protecting jobs and improving the pay and conditions of our members".
