Len McCluskey uses Tory rebel David Davis to attack trade union bill

The Labour conference is currently debating a motion on the Trade Union Bill, which Shadow Business Secretary Angela Eagle made clear in her speech that the party will oppose.

It gave Len McCluskey a chance to give his traditional pre-Shadow Chancellor conference speech, though this year the Unite leader didn’t need to include any pleas to the Labour leadership to listen to him. Instead, he focused all the fire of his typically impassioned and forceful speech on the Tories.

He suggested that the legislation curbing the powers of trade unions and their abilities to strike was more fitting for a fascist government. The Tories will be quite used to his strong rhetoric, but what will really irritate them is that McCluskey quoted David Davis’ opposition to many of the measures in the Bill. Davis spoke up during the second reading debate, and has threatened to rebel at later stages. That he is rebelling is no longer a surprise to his party leadership, but that he is being used by a trade union leader in the Labour conference hall shows that the rebel is also not a great asset to his party right now.