Follow the Money, Trade Unions, Political Funds and the Labour Party

The Workers of England Union's investigation into taxpayer-funded Trade Union facility time has led to another question: how much money are Trade Unions themselves putting into politics?

An earlier published estimate in the financial times, suggested that Unite, UNISON and GMB had provided approximately £150 million to Labour over recent years

WEU decided to look beyond those three Trade Unions.

The Electoral Commission publishes reportable donations accepted by political parties from 2001 onwards. Our examination of those records currently indicates that reported Trade Union donations to Labour across the wider Trade Union movement could total approximately £248 million since 2001.

That figure is being independently checked before WEU presents it as a definitive total.

But there is another, separate figure.

Trade Unions can maintain political funds. Their statutory financial information is reported to the Certification Officer, the independent regulator of Trade Unions.

Our reconstruction of those annual records currently indicates that Trade Unions may have raised approximately £495 million through political funds over broadly the same period.

These two figures must not be confused.

£495 million of political-fund income does not mean £495 million was donated to Labour. Political funds can finance other political expenditure*.

The latest Certification Officer information demonstrates their continuing scale, 21 Trade Unions had political funds, with 19 providing financial information, and those reporting Trade Unions held £29.4 million in those funds.

So WEU is following two separate trails, money raised by Trade Unions for political purposes and reportable donations actually received by Labour.

When hundreds of millions of pounds are involved, workers and taxpayers across England deserve to know exactly where the money comes from and where it goes.

The Workers of England intend to follow it.

Stephen Morris
General Secretary
Workers of England Union

*The Workers of England Union is an independent, non-political Trade Union. We do not support or campaign for any political party. Our purpose is to represent working people and help our members understand the issues that may affect them at work and in their everyday lives. Where we examine government policy, public spending or political decisions, we do so to explain the facts and their potential impact on workers across England. We are not promoting one political party over another. Our focus will always be on informing, supporting and representing our members.

Key Takeaways

• Investigating Political Donations: WEU examination of Electoral Commission records indicates total trade union donations to Labour since 2001 could reach ~£248 million.
• Political Fund Scale: Certification Officer records indicate trade unions raised approximately £495 million through separate statutory political funds over a similar period.
• Distinction Between Funds and Donations: Political fund revenue covers wider political campaigning and expenditure, not all of which flows directly as political party donations.
• Non-Political Transparency Stance: As an independent, non-political union, WEU seeks full transparency on taxpayer-funded union facility time and political spending.