Dave Prentis

Representatives of two of Britain's biggest unions are to come together in the run-up to the Labour leadership elections to agree on how to vote.

Members of public service union Unison and the GMB who pay the Labour Party political levy will be able to vote in the contests.

And the unions' political committees will form their agreement by the middle of May, by which time Labour's national executive committee will have set out its timetable for the elections.

They will agree on which issues they want debated in the election campaign and how their members can play an active part in it.

"The role played by ordinary union members in supporting the Labour Party, in developing policy and in electing its leaders since its formation, has been crucial to the social and economic progress of our nation," Unison general secretary Dave Prentis and GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said in a joint statement.

"The forthcoming elections provide a fresh opportunity to millions of trade unionists to have a direct and personal influence in the selection of the party's leader and deputy leader.

"And it offers them the opportunity to refresh policy and set out a strategic direction for the party."

They said union members wanted a say in the provision and funding of public services, adding: "They want to get the best value for the public money that funds them."

People delivering public services "know how the use of outside agencies to deliver services leads to waste, duplication and money seeping out to pay for expensive financial engineering schemes and the over-management that it entails", they argued.
 
They also questioned the "morality of the billions of pounds' worth of tax privileges enjoyed by the private equity industry".

"Private equity is driving the takeover of huge swathes of British industry, leading to asset-stripping, job losses and the decline in customer service," the statement said.