By DAVID WILCOCK, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR and BRENDAN CARLIN Published: 13:55 BST, 30 September 2025 | Updated: 15:54 BST, 30 September 2025
Labour may have cost itself millions in union funding after the leader of Unite was cut off in the middle of a party conference speech hammering Sir Keir Starmer.Sharon Graham was mocking Sir Keir's hopes of providing 'change' and had demanded he 'tax the rich' before she was told she had run out of time after just three minutes on stage.She had been in full flow, accusing Labour of 'pitting workers against pensioners', when she was pulled up by organisers for going over time.Clearly unhappy about being told to finish, she replied: 'Really? I'll get to the last bit then shall I?'She closed with a raised fist and left the stage to a small standing ovation.It could prove a dangerous and financially damaging moment for the party. Ms Graham had used the annual conference in Liverpool to warn Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves to alter course at the Budget in a month's time if it wants to keep receiving £1.5million a year from members.One Labour MP said: ‘The leader of Unite represents tens of thousands of working people. 'Not to give her more time was disrespectful to all those members of the union.'This could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, given how Unite is already thinking of disaffiliating from the party’. Sharon Graham was mocking Sir Keir's hopes of providing 'change' and had demanded he 'tax the rich' before she was told she had run out of time after just three minutes on stage. Ms Graham had used the annual conference in Liverpool to warn Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves to alter course at the Budget in a month's time if it wants to keep receiving money.At the weekend she said it was getting 'harder and harder to justify' affiliation with Labour and that the 'time is getting close' to make a choice. In her speech she said the Government needs to 'tax the rich' and drew attention to Tesco's large profits at a time of soaring food price inflation.She said: 'The solution this time, workers pitted against pensioners, communities pitted against the disabled, different government, same decisions.'We have no choice – that's what we've been told – we are stuck in the cycle of a broken system where everyday people always, always pay.'She added: 'This is supposed to be a Labour Government, instead of picking the pockets of pensioners, tax the rich.'Instead of letting energy prices spiral out of control, renationalise our energy.'When she breached a speaking-time limit, a ripple of shouts of 'time' began in the hall.Ms Graham ended her speech by raising her fist and received a standing ovation from a small group of union delegates.Labour has been approached to comment.
