UNITE trade union leader Len McCluskey denounced the Conservative government yesterday for “taking us back to the 1930s” and making life worse for minorities and oppressed groups.

Speaking at Unite’s equalities conferences, the general secretary did not mince words in the face of the Tory-led attack on trade unions.

“Youth unemployment, women’s poverty, pregnancy discrimination, disability hate crime, lack of opportunities for black workers, workplace bullying and harassment, cuts to support for LGBT people, poverty in retirement — all these are made worse by this uncaring government,” said Mr McCluskey. “A government of the rich for the rich.”

To applause he declared: “Every general election tends to be billed as the most important in a generation — this time it might actually be true.

“We know living standards have slumped for all working people, to the extent that there has been a recovery, it has been a recovery for the rich only.

“The labour market this government has created is not delivering for millions of people.”

But Labour also did not escape unscathed from Mr McCluskey’s ire, despite calling people to put their trust in leader Ed Miliband.

The Unite leader said it was “deeply regrettable” that shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves had described Labour as “not the party of people on benefits.”

“Labour is for working people, people in work and people out of work,” he said.

“I only hope she learns from her mistake and she doesn’t make it again, because if Labour is anything, it’s about a cause. If we are not a cause then we are nothing.

“And our cause is to bring about equality and fairness for all working people and for anyone who cannot find work, or is unable to work.”

Mr McCluskey also said he wanted “to distance” his union from Ms Reeves’s comments.

A mumble also rose in the hall when he branded as “disgraceful” Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman’s role in the denial of Unite member Karie Murphy a place on the long list of the party’s candidates for Halifax.
Ms Harman — due to speak on the following plenary — could not attend due to “other commitments.”