Unison chief pledges support for Gordon Brown amid rumours of union unrest

A senior trade union official has pledged his support to Gordon Brown as speculation mounts that the prime minister will face a leadership challenge.

Dave Prentis, general secretary of public sector union Unison, said unions’ only concerns regarded party policy, not party leadership.

Reports last weekend suggested union leaders were so fed up of Brown that they were backing health secretary Alan Johnson and former Labour deputy leader contender Jon Cruddas to lead Labour into the next general election.

But in an interview with Personnel Today, Prentis said: “I don’t believe there is a risk of unions withdrawing support for Brown.

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“I have a very strong belief that as a general secretary, it’s not my role to seek to change the leader of the party or the prime minister, and I can assure you we are not seeking a change in leadership.”

He added that MPs were unlikely to vote against Brown in a leadership contest as the public outcry at a second unelected prime minister could lead to a general election – risking their seats.