Some of you will have seen the article in the press and communications from the General Secretary Andrea Egan regarding an endorsement of Ed Miliband to be Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The General Secretary made this statement in her personal capacity. Any Labour Party endorsements should be and remain the decision of the Labour Link Committee. In this case, there is also no process for unions to be involved in the nomination or endorsement of members of the Cabinet.
To this effect, UNISON’s press team is clarifying to journalists that the General Secretary’s comments have been made in a personal capacity and are not an endorsement on behalf of UNISON....
Best wishes,
Linda Hobson and Tess Morris
Chair and Vice-Chair of the National Labour Link Committee
As an elected member of the UNISON Labour Link London Regional Committee — and its Chair — as well as a National Labour Link NEC representative, I fully support the statement issued by Linda Hobson and Tess Morris.
The General Secretary is, of course, entitled to express a personal opinion. But she does not speak for UNISON on matters of Labour Party endorsement. Under long‑established practice and our UNISON Rule Book, these decisions rest solely with the Labour Link Committee, whose members are democratically elected for precisely this purpose.
Any endorsement must follow proper consultation and a transparent, democratic process — not the personal view of any UNISON official. Departing from that principle undermines our structures and risks making UNISON look frankly silly at a time when clarity and discipline are essential.
