Will Kevin spoil the Party?

Dan Jenkins meets the man who is promising to give Tony Blair a rough ride.

RELAXED and tanned posing for the cameras in his sharp suit, Kevin Curran looks more New Labour than New Labour. But the heir apparent to one of the biggest jobs in British politics will certainly not be toeing the party line.

The result of the ballot for general secretary of the GMB had barely been announced when Mr Curran fired his first warning shot to Tony Blair.

"I see our relationship with Number Ten as being strained," he says. "They don't seem to want to engage us. We represent millions of UK citizens and they are saying there are certain aspects of Government policy that they are not happy with.

"We want the Government to listen to us because there is a problem. We in the GMB want a constructive debate. We don't want to hear ministers spouting rhetoric, the very criticism they make of trade union leaders at present."

Yesterday's announcement that Kevin Curran had been elected general secretary of the GMB didn't come as much of a surprise. The result was never really in much doubt; the fight for one of most influential political posts in Britain was a foregone conclusion, from the day the ballot papers went out.

Speaking at the Baltic Centre in Gateshead, the former welder, who has been GMB Northern regional secretary for the past seven years, immediately promised sweeping changes.

"My election is a victory for GMB members," he says. "They have spoken and told us that they want a union that is democratic, transparent and open. That is what I have been elected to do, and I promise every GMB member that that is what I will work every day to achieve."

Mr Curran, 48, was always the front runner in a two-horse race with London regional secretary Paul Kenny, with about 700,000 union members voting in the postal ballot.

He will replace veteran John Edmonds, who steps down in June. In an unprecedented double victory for the North, Yorkshire regional organiser Debbie Coulter beat five other candidates to become the first-ever woman elected as GMB deputy general secretary.

Ms Coulter, 42, says: "This is an historic occasion and I'm extremely proud to have been elected by GMB members and look forward to working with Kevin. We both share a common set of values and are determined to create a modern, pragmatic union for the 21st century."

Top of her agenda is making the union more inclusive. "I hope my election to this key position as deputy general secretary will send out a symbolic message to all members and potential members that the GMB is a progressive union that values women and recognises their aspirations and values their contribution," she adds.

"I passionately believe that women, ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged groups need to be more involved in trade unions, and that we must work to become more democratic, open and transparent. The GMB needs more women in key positions of influence to ensure that equality issues are central to the union's bargaining agenda."

Her new boss is also planning to ring in the changes.

"The priorities that concern our members and those that I campaigned on - employment rights, pensions, equality and opposition to privatisation of public services - will be my priorities in office," he says.

His past actions indicate that he will not give Tony Blair an easy ride.

In the mayoral election held in Middlesbrough during 2002, he was the man behind the GMB Northern region's decision not to back Sylvia Connolly, the Labour Party candidate, because she supported privatisation of local public services.

And he aims to take a long, hard look at the relationship between his union and the party he has supported all his life.

"I will, as promised, institute a membership-led review of our relationship with the Labour Party," he says. "This will begin in summer 2003 and all aspects of our relationship will be up for debate."

His own view is clear: government has to pay more attention to the unions.

The married father-of-two says: "Trade union members are parents, patients, users of public services, crime victims, customers and above all citizens. Government and others sometimes forget that. When trade unions complain or campaign it's not the trade union who decides what the issues are; it is the millions of our members who represent an incredibly diverse group."

He is a hugely popular figure in the North-East where he has been based since 1996, and has enjoyed several notable successes. He spearheaded the drive to set up the North-East Maritime Group, which last year brought shipbuilding and 2,000 jobs back to the Tyne.

A veteran campaigner on equality issues, particularly equal pay, he has been vocal in the fight against the BNP and other far-right organisations that are trying to gain a foothold in the region.

He believes that pensions - and particularly pension provision - will be the biggest issue facing the trade union movement over the next ten years. A believer in decentralisation, he wants to look at taking power in the union away from London and giving it back to the regions.

"I want to deconstruct the role of a trade union general secretary - and make myself and the union accessible to our members at every level," he says. "This will include taking trade unionism into our communities on a level and scale unprecedented in our history."

Further internal changes will see the appointment of a commission within the next few weeks, to compile suggestions from members on how to modernise the GMB.

"The commission will take evidence from any member, shop steward, member of staff or officer who would like to put their ideas forward," he says. "The commission will have a wide-ranging remit, and I expect it to put forward ideas and proposals to bring about a new, modern, form of trade unionism.

"I want a union that retains our values and builds on the things we do well but also begins to address the needs of the modern workplace and those who work in them."

Born in 1954 in Stepney, East London, he grew up in a London Irish community and was first inspired by trade unionism through the example of his steel erector father John. A welder by trade, he became a shop steward in 1976, leading a series of disputes aimed at preventing workers' exposure to asbestos.

He became the union's youngest branch secretary at 23 and went on to represent members across the country in Scotland, the Midlands, Essex, London and the South East.

Newcastle East and Wallsend MP Nick Brown, the Minister for Work and Pensions, welcome Mr Curran's election. He says: "I voted for him and I'm delighted.

"He was the members' candidate rather than the establishment candidate in what was a very good contest. I think he'll do a very good job indeed and will have the particular interests of the North in mind throughout."

From welder to head of the union

1975 Joins the GMB.

1976 Becomes a shop steward, aged 21, in the engineering construction industry. Leads a series of disputes to prevent workers from being exposed to asbestos dust.

1978 Elected branch secretary of the Penge Boilermakers Branch. At 23, he is the youngest branch secretary in the union. Becomes GMB safety representative on the Isle of Grain construction site.

1979 Wins a TUC bursary to study Industrial Relations at London School of Economics (LSE).

1980 Becomes a welding instructor in the voluntary sector, teaching unemployed young people in London.

1982 Elected to the London district committee of the Boilermakers Society and later becomes chairman.

1990 Appointed regional organiser in GMB southern region.

1997 Appointed regional secretary in the North-East. Establishes the North East Maritime Group (NEMG) to campaign and revitalise the shipbuilding industry in the North-East which results in an order of £130m, creating work for 2,000 on Tyneside.

Pioneers an agreement among shipbuilding employers for a common enhanced rate.

Helps start up the adult apprentice scheme that has brought skills, and training for unemployed workers in their 20s and 30s.

Appointed by the Secretary of State to the board of the Regional Development Agency (RDA) - One NorthEast.

2000 Becomes a member of the TUC and CBI Treasury Committee on productivity and competition.

2003 Elected GMB general secretary.