# Unite the Union

# Unite the Union — Labour's Largest Union Funder

**Full name:** Unite the Union
**Approx total donated (2024-2026):** £3-5 million (via affiliation fees, direct donations, and campaign support)
**Type:** Trade union — Labour's largest union affiliate
**Why they donate:** Represents working-class interests across manufacturing, transport, public services, and logistics. Seeks to influence Labour's industrial relations, workers' rights, and nationalisation policy.
**Controversies:** Internal factional battles within Labour have been heavily influenced by Unite. Accusations of "block vote" influence over candidate selection and policy direction. Under previous leader Len McCluskey, Unite was a major force in Labour's leftward shift. Current leadership under Sharon Graham has been more focused on industrial action but remains influential.

## Notes

- Around 1.2 million members
- Also funds Labour MPs directly through constituency donations
- Was central to the factional battles of the Corbyn era
- Sharon Graham's leadership has deprioritised internal Labour politics relative to industrial strategy