Len McCluskey, the former general secretary of Unite—the United Kingdom’s largest trade union—remains under police investigation concerning a contentious £112 million contract related to the construction of a hotel and conference centre in Birmingham. The ongoing inquiry stems from allegations that union funds were misappropriated during the project, accusations that have cast a shadow over the final phase of McCluskey’s leadership.

McCluskey, who led Unite from 2010 until his resignation in 2021, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Speaking from his home in the Scottish Borders, he expressed hope that the investigation would conclude soon so he could publicly clear his name. Critics contend that his tenure was marred by financial improprieties, with auditors describing the environment during his leadership as one permeated by "pervasive fraud." The allegations focus on claims of overcharging and improper payments benefiting associates connected to McCluskey. While McCluskey has threatened legal action against the auditors for libel or malpractice, the police inquiry remains unresolved.

During his leadership, McCluskey emerged as a pivotal figure within the British trade union movement, navigating through decades marked by declining membership and political setbacks. When he joined the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) as a full-time official in 1979, the UK boasted over 13 million union members; today, that number stands at just over half. McCluskey attributes much of the decline to political defeats during the Margaret Thatcher era but maintains he does not regret the key industrial and political decisions he made.

McCluskey’s early political experiences were shaped in Liverpool during the 1970s and 1980s, a period of intense left-wing activism and radical politics. Although he denies membership in the Trotskyist Militant Tendency, he witnessed its takeover of the local Labour Party and sees this as a lesson in left-wing organization and mainstream abandonment rather than as a political misstep.

The internal faction named United Left, which McCluskey headed within Unite, played a dominant role in the union’s internal governance, particularly during the period surrounding the hotel contract controversy. Between 2018 and 2020, United Left controlled appointment panels for 37 of 42 senior posts within the union. McCluskey defended this prevalence, rejecting claims that it led to unqualified appointments or unfair advantages.

Following McCluskey’s departure, his successor Sharon Graham commissioned a report scrutinizing United Left’s influence and the handling of senior appointments. The findings suggested the faction’s dominance may have been detrimental to the union’s governance. Relations between Graham and United Left appear fraught, with sources alleging faction members sought to undermine her leadership—claims McCluskey strongly denied, characterizing them as fabrications.

Throughout his time in union leadership, McCluskey remained committed to his vision of representing the broader union membership rather than factional interests, despite relying on United Left’s support during his electoral campaigns. The investigation into the Birmingham hotel contract continues to weigh heavily over the union and McCluskey’s legacy, as both the political and legal outcomes remain pending.