Ed Miliband was today facing a confrontation with union leaders over the way Labour’s 2016 candidate for London Mayor is chosen.
Leaders of the biggest unions were meeting privately to try to agree a common approach to a series of Labour Party reforms that would weaken their power.
The powerful Unite leader Len McCluskey is opposed to Mr Miliband’s plan to hold a giant closed primary vote to select Labour’s candidate to succeed Boris Johnson.
In a submission, Unite said: “Voting in selections must remain the prerogative of members and associate members.”
At present union members and London party members share the votes. In future, Labour could scrap the union share and let any Londoner who supports Labour have a say.
The stakes are high because Labour is well placed to win City Hall. The next Mayor will become instantly one of the country’s best-known politicians with a chance to influence national debates as well as London affairs. A special two-hour conference is being held on March 1 to decide the fate of the reforms.
Mr Miliband is aiming to strengthen his election strategy this week with a series of events to tell hard-pressed families he is on their side.
Today he promised to “rebuild our middle class” in the face of an unprecedented income squeeze.
“Our country cannot succeed and become collectively better off unless Britain has a strong and vibrant middle class,” he wrote in the Daily Telegraph.
On Friday he will set out wider plans in a keynote economic speech for reforming finance and skills, while paying down the deficit.
Education spokesman Tristram Hunt will tomorrow set out details of teaching standards, with plans for a regular MOT of teachers which is likely to spark union opposition.
Next week welfare spokesman Rachel Reeves will set out plans to link benefits more closely to people’s contribution, which could mean higher payments for those who have worked for years.
