Summary
Derek Simpson is the elected joint general secretary of the all-powerful Unite, which has members, like fingers, in all the trades, from motor manufacturing to print and steel - even the British Airways cabin crew. [...] Simpson - in concert with Tony Woodley, his fellow joint general secretary - wields more influence in the corridors of power than some in the cabinet might like. Some of Simpson's younger aides might wince at this, but union members provided much of the ballast for each of Labour's three consecutive election victories, driving candidates to events, knocking on doors and sticking down envelopes.
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Extract
'I Told David Cameron's Man to Get Lost'
Derek Simpson, Britain's most powerful trade union leader, says that the unions shouldn't talk to the Tories and anoints Ed Miliband as Labour's next leader
In caricature, he is a union baron. Butno one ever elected abaron, and although the headquarters of Unite, Britain's largest private -sector union, with two million members, is located on King Street in Covent Garden, London, neither the offices nor the man are remotely regal or baronial. Derek Simpson is the elected joint general secretary of the all-powerful Unite, which has member...See the full content of this document
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