UNISON should become the most powerful working-class organisation in Britain and “transform the country,” said Andrea Egan at her first conference as its general secretary today.

She urged delegates in Brighton to back her vision of putting the country’s largest union at “the forefront of change in the UK,” as the Labour government has been a “total disaster.”

The party’s next leader will crash and burn unless they have the confidence to repair public services and stand up for progressive values, Ms Egan warned, adding: “We have a chance to make Unison the powerhouse it should be — Britain’s most powerful working-class organisation… winning not only for members but for the whole working class.

“This is the task in front of us and it’s incredibly exciting: changing Unison so that we can win for our members and for our communities and then transform the country.”

Ms Egan, who was elected in December having pledged to launch a review of the union’s relationship with Labour, said that fixing the country required massive investment in schools, hospitals, councils and transport. 

She called on Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to reverse her “shameful” plans to make migrant workers wait longer to be able to settle in Britain immediately, saying they are a “direct attack on Unison members and a betrayal of our most basic values.” 

Warning that a Reform-led government would lead to “unprecedented attacks” on the union movement, Ms Egan added: “The next prime minister must repair our broken public services through massive public investment and bringing everything back in house. 

“Major sectors have to be brought back fully under national public ownership. Not just publicly controlled or regulated a bit more actively.  

“They must stand up for progressive values, end the attacks on migrants, protect hard-won freedoms and invest in our communities. 

“That means investing in schools, hospitals, councils and transport. Not spending more money on American weapons and wars abroad.”

Ms Egan was expelled from Labour in 2022 for sharing articles from Socialist Appeal, a group that was proscribed by the party.