According to Skwawkbox, one of the headline speakers at this weekend’s Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival has been accused of secretly collaborating with arch Labour Zionist Wes Streeting in attacking Ed Milliband, following speculation that he is to become the new Chancellor under Andy Burnham.
Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite and a prominent speaker at this year’s Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival, is facing a fresh wave of controversy just as members vote in a closely fought leadership election.
Graham has been accused by figures within Unite of secretly collaborating with Labour’s Wes Streeting on an attack against senior Labour politician Ed Miliband. The allegations, published by the left-wing Unite members’ group Reunite the Union, claim Graham worked with Streeting’s team to produce criticism of Miliband that appeared in national media, including The Times.
According to Reunite, the purpose of the intervention was to weaken Miliband’s prospects of becoming Chancellor in a future Andy Burnham-led government while strengthening Streeting’s own political ambitions.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and Unite did not respond to requests for comment made by Reunite. However, the accusations have fuelled growing criticism from sections of the union that Graham has abandoned one of the key promises on which she was elected in 2021, namely to keep Unite out of Westminster political manoeuvring.
Critics argue that any private involvement with senior Labour politicians would place the union squarely back into the factional politics Graham pledged to avoid. They also question why members and Unite’s Executive Council were allegedly not informed of such high-level political discussions.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of a bitter leadership contest against former Unite international director Simon Dubbins. Dubbins has campaigned on restoring greater political engagement, publicly supporting Palestinian rights and challenging Graham’s leadership style.
Supporters of Dubbins point to what they describe as a pattern of increasingly unpopular decisions under Graham’s leadership. These include reported secret discussions with Reform UK representatives, criticism over her limited public stance on Israel’s war in Gaza, and accusations that activists have been discouraged from participating in anti-genocide and climate campaigns.
Graham has also faced sustained criticism over Unite’s own employment practices. Staff disputes have led to repeated strike action, with opponents accusing the leadership of using anti-union tactics against its own workforce. Much of that controversy has centred on the appointment of Graham’s husband, Jack Clarke, to lead Unite’s Bargaining and Disputes Support Unit despite previous allegations relating to workplace conduct. Unite has previously acknowledged that evidence relating to complaints against Clarke was destroyed, although the circumstances surrounding that decision remain disputed.
With voting already underway, Graham’s opponents believe the latest allegations could further erode confidence among members. Whether the accusations prove politically damaging remains to be seen, but they add to mounting scrutiny surrounding a leader who was elected promising transparency, independence and a fresh direction for Britain’s largest trade union.
For Tolpuddle festival organisers to continue with Graham as a speaker is a very poor look at a time when the Labour movement is seeking to recover from the prime ministership of Keir Starmer.
