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FBU general secretary election: Matt Wrack loses bid for fifth term

Photo: Matt Wrack’s campaign

Long-serving Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack has lost his bid for re-election, after facing a challenge from the union’s vice president Steve Wright.

Wrack, who has served in the role since 2005, faced a campaign from Wright, who received endorsements from more than twice the number of branches of the union.

The total number of ballots cast was 8,648, with a turnout of 29%.
Matt Wrack received 40% of the vote, with 3,436 votes and Steve Wright received 60% of the vote with 5,188 votes.
Some have said the contest was “not a right versus left battle” within the union, typically seen as one of Labour’s more left-wing affiliates.
Wright, who has served as a firefighter for more than 20 years, campaigned on improving transparency and accountability within the FBU, saying he wanted to ensure the union was “committed to first-class representation” and “driven by members”.
Wright’s campaign also said during the contest that the “election has made it clear that members feel a growing disillusionment” about Wrack’s leadership.READ MORE: Inside the FBU ‘civil war’ as union urges ‘civilised’ general secretary contest

Following the result, Wrack said he was “proud” to have led the FBU for two decades.
“The FBU has played a leading role in the fight for equality, in the face of some appalling behaviours and a systemic failure by fire service leadership,” he said in a statement posted to X.

“This work has meant having difficult conversations inside our union and must be continued.

“I leave the FBU with my head held high. Since the age of 16 I have been an active anti -racist, anti-fascist. I became a socialist as a teenager and I have been a trade unionist all my working life. My views and values have not changed and I will continue that fight.”

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The contest was particularly heated, with the Labour-affiliated union stepping in during the campaign to stress the election must be fought in a “civilised manner”.

Prior to the result, Wrack told The Independent that he expected the result to be “close”.

The news comes days after RMT general secretary Mick Lynch announced his retirement after serving in the role for more than three years

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Tags: prime Minister / UK Labour Party / UK politics / PM / Matt Wrack / Labour Government / Fire Brigades Union / Keir Starmer / House of Commons / Chancellor / Parliament / Downing Street / Politics / Conservatives / Government / Rachel Reeves / Labour / MPs / Policy / Labour Party /
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