UNION leaders vehemently rejected suggestions today that the Labour Party should end its long-standing links with trade unions.

Christine Shawcroft, who sits on Labour’s national executive committee (NEC), claimed “major trade unions are actively opposed” to party members and said it was “time to support disaffiliation of the unions from the Labour Party.”

The suggestion was roundly criticised by union leaders, with Unite general secretary Len McCluskey calling for her to withdraw the comments while Unison general secretary Dave Prentis dismissed them as “wrong on every count.”