McCluskey comments on Unite’s “disgraceful” cover-up for Graham’s bullying husband

Former Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has commented on the Unite union’s cover-up of bullying by his successor Sharon Graham’s husband Jack Clarke.

Specifically, McCluskey has condemned Unite’s habitual flinging of smears to try to divert attention from Graham’s anti-union behaviour. The union did this to protect Clarke from the consequences of his actions — and from Skwawkbox-Canary’s exposure of both.

Background

Skwawkbox first exposed years ago that staff working under Clarke had recorded months’ worth of his bullying and misogyny in 2018 and presented it to Unite as part of a formal grievance against him. After lobbying by Graham, the union covered up the abuse – and initiated disciplinary proceedings against Clarke’s victims.

Eventually, the bullied staff were paid off. Lawyers, while trying to deny the content of the recordings, inadvertently confirmed Unite had destroyed it. But in August 2026 Maddison Wheeldon and Skwawkbox exposed surviving copies of the transcripts of the abuse. Moreover, Skwawkbox also revealed Graham’s own words as she haggled over the terms of Clarke’s slap on the wrist. They also published details about her discussing the removal of the abused staff.

And when contacted for comment, the union’s statement flung smears — not at Clarke’s abusive husband or the incumbent general secretary’s nepotism and cover-up, but at previous general secretary McCluskey and his team.

Slap-back

McCluskey first spoke out on Graham’s smear campaign against him a year ago, describing it as “6 pages of smears and innuendo”. Even some of Graham’s habitual allies condemned it, too.

But he didn’t wait so long this time. In the comments of the Canary article that exposed Clarke and quoted Unite’s scurrilous deflection, McCluskey condemned the ‘disgraceful’ smears as a complete lack of “professional ethics” on the part of Unite and its spokesman. Furthermore, he also — perfectly accurately — refuted the additional Unite smear that Skwawkbox and the Canary were exposing Graham for McCluskey:

It’s is disgraceful for Steven Pinder to issue a statement like that ( even if under the orders of Sharon Graham ) has he no professional ethics left. I have no contact or involvement with either skwakbox [sic] or cannery [sic] and never have done. This constant mudslinging without a shred of evidence in the hope some might stick is deplorable. How sad to see what our once great union has become

Leopard spots

Since his 2018 bullying and Graham’s cover-up — and her win in the 2021 Unite general secretary election — Jack Clarke has not changed his spots.

Clarke was installed, under Graham and outside Unite’s usual appointment procedures, to run a newly-created unit. This happened despite being on a final warning for his abuse. He then continued his pattern, creating such outrage and disgust among staff of his new department that they went on strike too. Most of the women forced to work with him quit. But Graham again sided with the bad boss against the workers — and her aides even organised against them.

Despite running a union, Graham was repeatedly accused of using appalling, anti-union tactics against Clarke’s staff and other workers employed by Unite, leading to several strikes. Unite has also attempted to disrupt attempts by officers to organise in their workplace. And the union has spent huge amounts of members money on legal action – also to protect Clarke.

Birds of a feather

Nor is Graham untouched by allegations concerning her own behaviour. In 2023, she was accused of launching such an abusive tirade against former BBC journalist Ben Davies, her new communications director, that he quit and received compensation. So rapid was the departure that he was gone before his appointment was even announced. Unite responded with smears then, too – and repeatedly since.

In the first of the latest batch of exposés, Maddison Wheeldon wrote:

Husband and wife duo must be held accountable

Sharon Graham seems reluctant to take heed of how serious these issues are as she promises to uphold and advocate for workers’ rights.

However, these issues have only continued in the new department Jack Clarke had been handed by his wife, outside of the union’s typical appointment procedures.

There have been reports of similar complaints, disputes and even strike action due to allegations of ongoing abusive behaviour and anti-union tactics.

Now, the damning evidence detailing the extent of Clarke’s misdemeanours has been exposed, answers and accountability must follow.

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That applies now more than ever.

Featured image via the Canary

By Skwawkbox

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