New leader says Unison will end support for ‘destructive’ Labour right wing

Andrea Egan, the newly elected general secretary of Unison, Britain's largest trade union and a major Labour party donor, plans to end the union's support for Labour's right wing. Egan, a left-winger who will assume the role in January, criticized Wes Streeting's stance on striking doctors and suggested a leadership contest in 2026 should not replace Keir Starmer with Streeting. She also urged Starmer to address the hunger strike of Palestine solidarity campaigners. Egan's statements signal a potential clash between Unison and the Labour party over industrial action and the Middle East, marking a shift from the previous general secretary's close relationship with Starmer's government. The change in leadership indicates a potentially significant shift in Unison's political alignment and its relationship with the Labour party.

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