Sky News understands that 15 to 20 officers watched the search yesterday at the union headquarters in London and left the building with boxes of files, paper and a computer. A Unite spokesman confirmed to Sky News: “A Unite employee is under criminal investigation by the police. “On Wednesday, April 6, the employee’s office at Unite HQ in Holborn, London, was accessed and searched by police on a warrant.” The raid was carried out by South Wales police, according to Sky News. Two police vans and several unmarked police cars were involved. Unite is the second largest trade union in the United Kingdom, with more than 1.2 million members in various sectors, including construction, logistics, manufacturing and transport. In 2021, a new secretary general, Sharon Graham, was elected after the retirement of Len McCluskey, who led the union for 11 years. The union came under fire last year for spending nearly 100 100m on members’s money to build a controversial hotel and convention center in Birmingham. Ms Graham ordered a QC-led inquiry after forensic accountants concluded that the value of the building was “significantly lower” than its construction cost. A union source told Sky News that the difference was “tens of millions of pounds”. Mr McCluskey chaired the project and is facing questions about why the main development contract was awarded to a company owned by a friend. The investigation was to be reported in late March. The project, which includes new union offices, was intended to save hotel rooms and conference bills. However, after an initial estimate of 7 7 million, the cost of the building jumped to 57 57 million before construction could even begin. Now completed, Unite confirmed in December that the total cost of the project is over εκατο 98 million. The core development contract was awarded to Liverpool-based Flanagan Group, a company run by McCluskey’s ally Paul Flanagan.
