Always Red

Overview

The book contains explosive revelations that come at a time of ongoing fallout and controversy over the Labour leadership. It is sure to have wide organic take-up by media organisations across the Left and political mainstream, and generate huge engagement on social media.

Always Red is a major new political autobiography by Len McCluskey, head of the most powerful UK trade union, Unite. The first big figure of the Corbyn era to pen an insider account of this tumultuous period, the book’s publication—launched at the Labour Party Conference—will be a significant political event. With explosive revelations about Keir Starmer amid ongoing controversy over the Labour leadership, extensive news coverage is assured. The book will be serialised, eagerly reviewed, and McCluskey—a regular on the airwaves—will undertake a series of promotional interviews. The book is certain to generate huge engagement on social media among a highly motivated Labour audience.

Serials

- First serial in the Guardian
- Second serial in New Statesman
- Third serial in Tribune

Radio/TV appearances

- Appearance on BBC Radio 4 Start the Week likely
- Feature on BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week under consideration
- Appearance on the Andrew Marr show on eve of Labour Party conference likely
- 1 hour interview with author on Novara Media has been confirmed with Ash Sarkar

Events

- Major launch event with press and television at the Labour Party conference (Kevin Maguire in conversation with Len McCluskey)
- Major event in Liverpool with the city mayor
- Several other events in major cities across the UK

Social media

The social media followings of Jeremy Corbyn (2.4 million followers on Twitter, 1.5 million on Facebook) and Momentum will be mobilized, in addition to that of UNITE, which has 83k followers on Twitter, and Len McCluskey, who has 37k followers. This is in addition to OR’s own large Twitter following of highly politically engaged readers. Followers of all pages will be repeatedly apprised of the book

Promotional videos

Two promo trailers developed by Neontetra Films will be released at strategic times - the first to align with pre-orders and the second close to pub date. These will circulate on social media and be uploaded to product pages

Reviews

For reviews, the OR Books publicity team will be collaborating with Unite the Union, which has a database of more than 200 UK press contacts. Based on previous press coverage of Len McCluskey we are confident that the book will be reviewed by the following journalists: Brian Reade (Mirror), Paul Routledge (Mirror and freelance), Donald McIntyre, Steve Richards, Gabriel Pogrund (Sunday Times), Heather Stewart (the Guardian), Grace Blakeley (Tribune), Owen Jones (the Guardian), Ronan Burtenshaw, Stephen Bush, Danny Finkelstein, and Robert Potts.

Len McCluskey is the standout trade unionist of his era. Head of the giant Unite union for more than a decade, he is a unique and powerful figure on the political stage.

In this major autobiography, McCluskey throws back the curtains on life at the top of the Labour movement—with explosive revelations about his dealings with Keir Starmer, the behind-the-scenes battles of the Corbyn era, his secret Brexit negotiations with Theresa May’s government, the spectacular bust-up with his former friend Tom Watson, and his tortuous relationship with Ed Miliband.

McCluskey is no run-of-the-mill trade unionist. Fiercely political, unflinchingly left wing, he is a true workers’ leader. His politics were formed in Liverpool at a time of dock strikes, the Beatles, and the May 1968 revolution in Paris. An eyewitness to the Hillsborough tragedy, he recounts in harrowing detail searching for his son.

Witty and sharp, McCluskey delivers a powerful intervention, issuing a manifesto for the future of trade unionism and urging the left not to lose sight of class politics.

A central player in a tumultuous period of British political history, McCluskey’s account is an essential—and entertaining—record of our times.