UNIONS must discuss a new “political vehicle” for workers should Labour continue austerity policies, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union agreed today.

Delegates backed calls for PCS to lead the TUC and other unions to organise behind a “workers’ unity, not division – jobs and homes, not racism” demand.

They passed a motion stating: “A party based on the organised working class that fights for anti-racist, anti-war, socialist policies is vital to prevent the far-right harnessing the growing anger of working-class people with Starmer’s Labour. 

“In the 2017 general election, Jeremy Corbyn’s left Labour manifesto won one million voters from Ukip.”

Moving the policy, delegate Alan Dennis said: “The trade union movement must be prepared to take the initiative and call — as a first step — a conference to build a real political vehicle for the working class.

“Those the Labour Party was formed to represent and defend feel abandoned — and who can blame them?”