In the 2021 Unison National Executive Council (NEC) elections, the left won the leadership for the first time, with the Time for Real Change (TFRC) group in the majority, and with four Socialist Party members. In the 2023 Unison NEC elections, the TFRC group lost majority control. See ‘Unison elections: Time for Real Change lose majority control of the NEC’ for the Socialist Party’s analysis of that result.

Verbally and on social media, a small number of our opponents have tried to suggest that the Socialist Party is responsible for this, through not being part of the TFRC group.

No Socialist Party member stood against a sitting TFRC NEC member. If TFRC had retained all of their positions, they would still have a majority.

We also attempted to get agreement over all other seats Socialist Party members contested, but that agreement was not achieved in every area.

An article on the Socialist Alternative website on 10 June, repeated in another article on 21 June, claimed that in one area where there was not agreement, the East Midlands male seat, it was due to the Socialist Party standing that the right won the seat:

“Tom Barker, SA member and TFRC candidate for the East Midlands Male seat, was just 158 votes off winning the seat … This is a seat that could have been won by TFRC if there had been one left candidate (the SP stood and came last). The combined left vote would have comfortably beaten the right-wing candidate.”

An East Midlands Unison member answers this accusation and explains what really happened:

In the East Midlands, there is a ‘Broad Left’ in Unison, which includes Socialist Party members, supporters of Time for Real Change (TFRC), and supporters of neither. Until 1 January, the TFRC supporters involved in the Broad Left included three well-known longstanding SWP (Socialist Workers Party) members. Tom Barker was not a participant in the Broad Left.

In the discussions about the NEC candidates during 2022, TFRC supporters did not object to the Broad Left discussing a slate of candidates.

On 15 November at the first discussion about candidates, two TFRC supporters, Nathalie Birkett and Sara Evans, were agreed unanimously. There were two names put forward for the male seat.

The Socialist Party put forward Tom Hunt, an NHS worker with a long and proud record of struggle, including leading the successful campaign to save the NHS ward where he works, Chatsworth Ward, from closure.

Tom Barker was not put forward by TFRC supporters at the Broad Left meeting. The candidate put forward by TFRC acted with integrity during this process. The meeting agreed that it was important to have one left candidate. The TFRC candidate suggested that we vote at the 15 November meeting.

Although supporters of Tom Hunt were in a majority, Socialist Party members still preferred to try to come to a consensus, so it was agreed to request a discussion between national Unison figures in TFRC and the Socialist Party.

Nothing came of our attempts to have those discussions. So the Broad Left meeting on 29 November voted to decide the candidate. Both Tom and the TFRC candidate made clear they would abide by the vote. Tom Hunt won the vote. Those who voted for Tom Hunt included some TFRC supporters.

In December, we then heard that TFRC meetings had taken place and agreed to stand TFRC supporter Tom Barker. We appealed to them to reconsider, and for TFRC supporters to remain part of the Broad Left.

On 1 January, the TFRC posted on the Broad Left Whats App Group that they had agreed their three candidates. They stated that they did not consider that the “ad hoc ‘broad left East Midlands’ has the legitimacy or authority to change our Time For Real Change slate”.  

The three SWP members then left the Broad Left. The three Broad Left-supported candidates – which still included two TFRC supporters – produced a joint flyer as we intend to stay together.

The actions of the SWP and Socialist Alternative split the NEC vote and have also created an unnecessary split in the East Midlands Broad Left. However, the Broad Left continues to meet and is planning for the year ahead.