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Union chief says Scots put “tombstone” on New Labour

Len McCluskey will attack the Government over its austerity measures
Len McCluskey will attack the Government over its austerity measures

Britain’s most influential trade union leader has said that the Scottish independence referendum proved that Labour ignores the hopes of workers at its “peril”.

Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, claimed the historic vote should be the “tombstone” on two decades of indifference towards its traditional supporters.

Polls suggest a majority of voters in less affluent areas voted Yes to independence, particularly in former Labour heartlands such as Glasgow, Dundee and Lanarkshire.

In an impassioned speech which was met with a standing ovation at Labour’s Manchester conference, Mr McCluskey said: “We can’t say we weren’t warned.

“Even after the SNP started winning Scottish Parliament seats in the east end of Glasgow, some in the Scottish Labour Party clung to the mantra of wooing the middle classes.

“It took a referendum campaign to remind us that you ignore the hopes of the working people at your political peril.”

The leader of Unite – Labour’s biggest donor – said the Scottish vote reflected an upsurge in defence of the NHS, against illegal wars, austerity and inequality.

“It was a triumph of hope against apathy and fear, and our party has to bottle that hope and maybe while we’re at it, bottle a bit of whatever Gordon Brown has been taking,” he told delegates.

Mr McCluskey added: “Let the referendum be the tombstone on 20 years of our party’s indifference to the interests of the working class.”