LEFT-WING Labour MP Ian Lavery stood up to veteran socialist filmmaker Ken Loach yesterday after the latter claimed Labour had abandoned ordinary working people.

The director of Kes, Looking For Eric and Jimmy’s Hall attacked Labour as he launched rival party Left Unity’s manifesto at a London squat on Tuesday.

“We need stronger unions with a leadership that represents the interests of the workers and doesn’t just give money to the Labour Party for the Labour Party to cut its throat,” said Mr Loach.

He stated that “another reason we need a separate party” is to address Labour’s failure to restore trade union rights decimated by Thatcher.

But Mr Lavery, a former miner and chairman of Labour’s Trade Union Group, hit back at the criticism, highlighting that Labour’s work manifesto — launched yesterday — spelled out whose side Labour was on.

“To state that unions and the Labour Party do not represent working people is an insult when the labour movement fights to protect workers’ rights, stop exploitation and generally better the lives of working people on a daily basis,” said the Wansbeck MP.

“The reality is that the trade union movement is not only part of Labour’s past and present but also the future — as is proven by today’s announcements.”

Left Unity is standing 10 candidates at the general election on policies of relegalising squatting, axing the bedroom tax, expanding publicly owned housing and introducing rent controls.