Unite union threatens to cut Labour funding in Coventry bins row

The head of the Unite union has threatened to withdraw funding for Labour over a pay dispute involving bin lorry drivers in Coventry.

Unite, Labour's single biggest donor, said financial support for the party was now "under review".

In response, Labour said: "These sort of threats won't work in Keir Starmer's Labour Party."

The row in Coventry, which started months ago, has become increasingly bad tempered, with the union and Labour-run council each accusing the other of manipulating the truth, particularly regarding the pay drivers receive.

In a message to strikers, Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said: "Let me be very clear - the remaining financial support of the Labour Party is now under review."

She said the council had "time and again totally misrepresented the union's claims for its bin drivers" and it "should be ashamed of the spin it has tried to make" about its own workers' pay rates".

"These dreadful misrepresentations are deliberately designed to enrage the general public which directly risks the welfare of workers who are taking part in an entirely legal dispute, and this, a Labour council."

Coventry City Council says it is one of the highest paying employers in the West Midlands and strongly disputes the union's numbers.

The two sides have recently met at independent arbitration service Acas, but for the moment remain at odds.

Ms Graham urged Labour to "pick up the phone and get this sorted", saying: "It's utterly disgusting that this council is putting workers through this misery.

"If we have to escalate, we will escalate and I personally will be getting involved.

"Our wallet is closed to bad employers."

In response to the funding review, the Labour Party said it would "always act in the public interest".

"We would have hoped that Unite would have got the message that the Labour Party is under new management," a spokesperson added.