Unite, the country’s biggest union, has launched its campaign to persuade its members to play their part in the June 8 general election.
According to Unite, its 1.4 million members could make the difference, especially in Labour party seats being targeted by the Conservatives.
Across the north of England, where the Conservative party is attempting to make inroads into the Labour vote, Unite has tens of thousands of members, including 2,474 in Chorley, 1,833 in Bolton North East and 1,711 in Lancaster and Fleetwood. At the other end of the country, there are 1,129 Unite members in the Tory-held marginal of Brighton Kemptown.
The union, which has been running a voter registration drive, will now urge its members to vote Labour next month, reminding them that for working people, ‘Life is tougher under the Tories’.
Dozens of regional campaign activities are planned to ensure that Unite’s members are fully aware of what the Conservative plan for the country means in real terms for working people. Unite’s offices in the nations and regions will all be branded with a Vote Labour message.
Revealing the union’s Vote Labour banner at its London HQ, general secretary Len McCluskey said: “The problems facing this country have been caused by seven years of Theresa May and her Tory party. Every day that they are in power, it gets harder for working people to make ends meet. It gets harder for our schools and hospitals to function.
“Conservative plans for the next five years will only make it tougher for working people, and the race to the bottom for pay and conditions will continue.
“That is why Unite is taking the fight to our members every minute until the polls close.
“Our members live right across the country, and in some seats we have very large numbers of Unite members. They could make a real difference to the outcome of the most important election for generations. We are urging them to help save the country from a rampant Tory party and all the damage that it is sure to do.”
Follow Unite’s campaign to win a Labour government on the union’s twitter feed @unitetheunion.
Unite’s campaign materials can be seen here www.unitetheunion.org/ge2017
