McCluskey "Lulling Tories Into False Sense Of Security" With Labour Claims

17 May 2017, 14:49 | Updated: 17 May 2017, 18:01

Barry Gardiner has laughed off comments made by Unite leader Len McCluskey, who claimed Labour couldn’t win the General Election.

The union chief made the candid comments hours after the launch of the party’s election manifesto on Tuesday.

In an interview, Mr McCluskey said: "The scale of the task is immense. People like me are always optimistic… things can happen. But I don't see Labour winning. I think it would be extraordinary."

However, a day later, the union chief appeared to dramatically change his tune, saying he no longer thinks that way and was “confident” in a Labour victory.

Shelagh Fogarty asked Mr Gardiner if he found those comment helpful during LBC’s Election Call, but the Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade appeared to laugh it off.

He quipped: “I think Len was probably trying to lull the Conservatives into a false sense of security and make them complacent.”

Shelagh asked if that was the case, why did Mr McCluskey appear to do it in such great detail.

Mr Gardiner responded that the story had probably just been “spun” by the media.