Unfair coverage of Unite election

Therefore it is with sadness that these qualities do not appear to be being adhered with the current general secretary election campaign for Unite.

Since the campaign began Len McCluskey, who is one of only two candidates standing, has been given much space in the Star and recently a small piece appeared headed Branches give massive support to McCluskey (M Star March 5).

Below the heading it states that "the former docker emerged the clear winner in the nominations race scooping up 1,089 nominations to challenger Jerry Hick's 136."

What the article fails to add is that this was similar to the ratio at the last election (829 to 137), but that in the 201 ballot there was a smaller gap, with McCluskey winning 42 per cent and Hicks 22 per cent.

The article went on to state one or two things McCluskey has said or done and that he has the backing of the United Left.

Two points of note with the article. Mr McCluskey was not a docker but worked in the docks as a clerk, and Mr Hicks does not "attempt" to portray himself as a grass roots candidate, he is from the grass roots of Unite, although he was shop stewards convener at Rolls Royce, Bristol, until he was sacked for defending his members.

The union's Grass Roots Left organisation is backing him.

Ian Scott

Birmingham