UK
Which unions donated to which Labour MPs – and donated most?
More than 200 Labour or suspended Labour MPs received more than £2m in donations and support from trade unions in the 12 months before the general election, LabourList analysis shows.
LabourList has compiled a list showing which unions backed which MPs, giving potential insights into their politics and interests.
According to Parliament’s register of members’ financial interests, 212 MPs received support from trade unions, with the majority given to constituency Labour parties, with some specifically to cover printing, postage or office costs.
Each MP that received support from trade unions was donated an average of £9,479.
‘Cleanest money in politics’
Amid right-wing criticism of union ties, Mick Whelan, chairman of Labour Unions and general secretary of Aslef, described trade union donations as the “cleanest money in politics”.
He said: “The trade unions founded the Labour Party in order to have a political voice for working people in this country. Trade unions continue to be part of the party for this reason.
“Trade union money is the cleanest money in politics. Donations come from member subs, and those members vote on what their money is used for. Unions affiliated to the Labour Party are affiliated because our members vote to be.
“In contrast to corporates buying influence with the previous Tory government, and receiving lucrative contracts for their mates in return, trade union contributions maintain the important, historic trade union link that founded the Labour Party. Organised labour and Labour politicians working together to get the best for working people.”
Union donations to Cabinet ministers
Of the members of the Cabinet, 11 of the 21 who sit in the House of Commons received support from trade unions, namely Louise Haigh, John Healy, Peter Kyle, Ed Miliband, Ian Murray, Lisa Nandy, Bridget Phillipson, Angela Rayner, Steve Reed, Jonathan Reynolds, Jo Stevens and Wes Streeting.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh received the largest amount of support from trade unions, with a single £10,000 donation from Unite.
Unite offered the most support out of Labour’s affiliated unions, with a total of £553,900 given to a total of 86 MPs.
The GMB and Unison also donated more than £250,000, with £356,632 and £351,834 respectively. USDAW gave £243,882 in support over the year before the election.
Rail drivers’ union Aslef donated £20,150 to support six MPs, with the RMT – a union not affiliated with the Labour Party, offering £99,000 in support of 24 MPs.
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Grahame Morris, MP for Easington, received the most union support with a total of £56,454. This included two £10,000 donations to the Easington CLP by Unite and the RMT, and two donations from the National Union of Journalists, a union not affiliated with the Labour Party, for the administration and coordination of the union’s parliamentary group which Morris co-chairs.
A full list of donations made by unions as reported in the register of members’ financial interests can be found in the table below.
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