Labour risks handing power to Reform without drastic change, says union leader

Andrea Egan is about to attend her first conference of the country's biggest union, Unison, as its leader.

A grassroots campaigner for more than 30 years, she upset expectations when she defeated the incumbent general secretary, Christina McAnea, in December last year.

She has suggested that the union had previously been "a sleeping giant" which was too "subservient" to the Labour leadership.

But in her first interview with a national broadcaster, Egan told me her membership had a clear message for ministers: "I have been very frank with the government. When Labour came into power there was a sense of relief. But sadly we've been left wanting."

She added: "Communities are really struggling. They [Labour] haven't delivered and my election demonstrated that members were desperate to have their voices heard."

She argued that if the government didn't pay more attention to her members' concerns, Labour would pay a political price.

"I have spoken out clearly about the threat Reform brings," she said.

"It isn't us that will hand the keys to No10 to Reform - it's them, unless they change course. And drastically."