Debate on the Unite general secretary election: another view

In Solidarity 770 Ann Field argued that we should neither endorse Sharon Graham nor Simon Dubbins in the Unite general secretary election. The article rightly criticises both Dubbins and Graham. I agree with those criticisms and that Graham has shifted more to the right. I don't agree with the conclusion that we should call for abstaining in the elections.

We should critically support Sharon Graham. The reasons for criticising her are outlined well in the article: she is demagogic and disingenuous; she risks potential Labour Party disaffiliation; she attacks Labour from the right; and has a selective and reactionary focus on Unite's policies on oil, gas, and airport expansion.

Except for the risk of potential Labour Party disaffiliation, all these criticisms apply to Dubbins and Members United (the rebranding of United Left, UL). Dubbins and the UL are also demagogic, disingenuous; they also had a selective and reactionary focus on Unite’s policies on oil, gas and airport expansion. In addition they come from a legacy of evidenced corruption in the union, and would be worse on trans rights, sex workers rights and other poor positions that are informed by the Morning Star. Importantly Dubbins has no serious industrial record and calculably his leadership would tone down the number of strikes and disputes. A union that cannot even win serious disputes will create the conditions for more demoralisation and a shift further to the right within the union.

A Graham leadership for now provides better terrain for socialists to transform Unite and transform the labour movement. A win for Dubbins would be a step back for democracy in the union and would vindicate the often dishonest and hysterical criticisms of Unite under Graham's leadership including what has been uncovered about financial corruption. Socialists and union activists need to do important long-haul work within Unite to create a rank-and-file left that is serious about political trade unionism, union democracy, and industrial strategy.