A TOP union leader has issued a stark warning to Labour ahead of the UK Budget.
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said she did not believe Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves would be able to stay in their positions if Wednesday's Budget "goes the wrong way".
The trade union is one of the UK's largest and is affiliated with Labour, but has recently threatened to cut ties with the party over its policy direction – including failing to back striking bin workers in Birmingham and the Winter Fuel Payment, which the UK Government has since U-turned on.
Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Graham said: "I cannot understand that when we're saying we've got a black hole of £30 billion, that's the latest figure, you've had everyday people paying for the 2008 financial crash in austerity years, paid for Covid – with their lives, some of them – workers out there paying again.
"Why can't we just simply say we tax the richest 1% one percent more? That gives you £25b in a one-off payment, that almost takes that black hole out."
Graham added: "I cannot understand why this 'computer says no' constant response comes from Government ministers.
"This is a Labour Government – do what Labour governments do.
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"Why is it a better choice to pit pensioners against the disabled? Why is that a better choice than taxing some of the richest in our society?"
The top union boss later went on to say she believed people would leave the Labour Party if the Budget goes ahead as planned.
"The problem is we're never willing to look at a different way," Graham said.
"People out there are hurting, they are on their knees, and if Labour don't have this Budget that is there for working people and for those with less, if this Budget is a 'let's make some difficult decisions', as I keep hearing, people will move away from Labour in droves."
Kuenssberg then asked Graham if Starmer and Reeves "can stay in place if the Budget goes the wrong way".
"No," Graham replied.
"The reality here is that they've got a chance in this Budget to rectify what they haven't done in the last 18 months.
"We have the debacle of Winter Fuel, then we have the attacks on disabled people.
"The reality here is that Labour are supposed to go in and be Labour.
"We've already had people who have paid – some with their lives – but have paid with austerity over 14 years, with Covid.
"Where is the Labour Government coming in to say, 'By the way, what's gone on before, we're gonna now change that, we're not just going to tinker round the edges, we are here for you'.
"If people cannot hear that, then I think they will leave Labour."
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