Latest news with #buildingproject
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Ex-Unite boss Len McCluskey took private jet flights and football tickets arranged by firm behind controversial multi-million hotel project
Len McCluskey enjoyed private jet travel and football tickets from a firm which allegedly overcharged his union millions on a controversial building project, a report found. The probe, ordered by his replacement as Unite general secretary, concluded Liverpool-based firm the Flanagan Group was appointed to build the hotel and conference venue in Birmingham 'with no competitive tendering process, and despite having a history of poor performance, delays, cost overruns' and alleged incompetence on previous contracts. It also found Mr McCluskey 'signed the contracts, overruled Unite staff who raised questions about the firm, and overruled lawyers who advised against' the contracts. His predecessor Sharon Graham tonight admitted: 'Money left our union when it should not have. And other money that should have come into the union did not.' Mr McCluskey, nicknamed 'Red Len', was one of the most powerful men in the industry and was a close ally of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn before quitting the trade union in 2021. He had been an enthusiastic supporter of the Unite hotel project, which intended to be a financial investment for union members. But it ran massively over budget - indeed, the report found Unite paid roughly triple the actual value of the Birmingham Hotel Development. In fact, the union - which represents more than a million workers across the UK - forked out at least £110 million for the project, despite being valued at only £37.5 million. The contract to build it was awarded to the Flanagan Group, whose bosses McCluskey described as his 'good friends', the report found. Scrutiny of Unite emails subsequently showed the firm arranged and paid for tickets to matches including to the Champions League finals in 2018 and 2019, as well as matchday hospitality Liverpool home matches against Premier League rivals including Manchester City and Arsenal. McCluskey also received flights, including at least one private jet flight, to their Champions League final success against Tottenham in Madrid in 2019. It also identified a £500,000 payment to the firm without an explanation - something the report described as 'very unusual'. The report found emails also show how Flanagan Group bosses 'sought to leverage their relationship with Len McCluskey (and Len McCluskey's own political connections) to assist with their business dealings.' Ms Graham said the situation was summed up by unforgettable examples of egregious spending, including paying £1.3 million to 'drill holes in walls' that should have cost just £90,000. She said: 'Of course, incompetency isn't a crime. Nor is lending money. But how could this eye-watering overcharging happen not once, but on multiple occasions?' The report found 'potential wrongdoing by a few was enabled by what Unite's auditors called a pervasive fraud environment.' Mr McCluskey told the report investigators that the Birmingham project was not his 'brainchild', and 'the view that Unite's monies were best invested in property was generally endorsed by other individuals' he spoke to. He said he signed the contract without seeing the legal advice raising concerns, and was 'totally unaware of the escalating costs of the project, he had no visibility of them, and hardly ever' spoke to the Flanagan Group. The Serious Fraud Office and the police are now investigating, including a possible criminal investigation into bribery, fraud and money laundering. This does not include Unite or any current member of its staff. The Flanagan Group declined to comment tonight.
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The Late Late refurb! Locals living near James Corden's derelict mansion say it is 'shameful he has abandoned it' after star returns to US
James Corden has sparked fury among neighbours by 'abandoning' a mansion he wanted to knock down and turn into an £8million new home. The actor had been given approval to demolish the 1960s property in Oxfordshire, after months of delays and objections from the local council and English Heritage. He planned to replace the structure with a six-bedroom pile with a pool and spa. But this week it was announced Corden is set to return to the US for a 17-week run on Broadway in New York, for a play. Locals in quaint surrounding villages now fear his building project will never be completed. Jayne Worral has been the landlady of The Bull pub in nearby Wargrave since 1980 and said it would be 'sacrilege' for Corden to leave the property empty. Jayne, 72, said: 'He should live in it or sell it so a family can live in it. It's shameful to buy anywhere with that sort of standing and then have no one benefit from living in it. He should be ashamed. It's not fair. 'I'm 72 and society has changed so much - it's all money, money, money, me, me, me. We have a good community here, but so many local shops have closed down because people live such isolated lives.' The entrance to the property today is gated and shut with signs advertising the successful planning application One resident said: 'People like James Corden think they can do what they want. 'We need people actually living in the properties around here and then contributing locally. Not having grand plans and then leaving the country. We need certainty. 'He created a huge fuss around wanting the plans to go through how he wanted. How he is leaving. What is going on? 'That would be a lovely house and surroundings for someone local.' Sue Harris, who has worked in a local shop in nearby Henley since 1997, agreed that it would be a shame if the celebrity left the house derelict. She said: 'It would be a shame if he left it empty, as we get a lot of characters wanting to live here. We've had Liam Gallagher come in with the kids, he was lovely. You never know who is going to walk through the door.' But Sue said she was worried that the property purchases of the mega-wealthy like Mr Corden were making Henley and the surrounding villages unaffordable for working people who had been brought up in the area. She said: 'My daughter rents in Henley and she pays more than our mortgage. It's all these posh people moving here, pushing up prices.' Sue added she had never met Mr Corden, but thought he was being 'arrogant' with his behaviour around the property and his previous long-running planning dispute. She said: 'Everything goes his way, he's fine. But if he doesn't get his way, he throws the dolly out the pram.' But a builder who lived locally said he had met Mr Corden several times as his dad had attended Holmer Green Senior School near High Wycombe with the celebrity. He said: 'He's a lovely bloke - but to just buy a house and never live in it, that's mental. But he's rich, so he lives a different lifestyle.' Martin Walker, 78, said: 'I wouldn't know James Corden is he were to fall on my head. But I know the plot of land and the area. I wish he would tear it down. I hate the look of the place. It's a great circular thing. It's not doing anyone any good.' One of James' representatives told MailOnline the star had no plans to move back to the states 'full time.' To undertake the vast build, James would have had to comply with dozens of regulations to safeguard local wildlife and trees In January last year, experts also warned that the area nearby was littered with Roman and prehistoric finds, with archaeological work to be done to find out whether there are any historic settlements on the site of Corden's Templecombe House. To undertake the vast build, James would have had to comply with dozens of regulations to safeguard local wildlife and trees, according to The Sun. Mr Corden is set to return to the US to star in the revival of the play ART, due to open in Broadway's Music Box theatre on September 16. The TV star had spent eight years living in the United States and returned home in 2023 along with his wife Julia and their three children. He had a long run on one of American TV's most influential programmes, The Late Late Show. When speaking about leaving his LA home in 2022 he said: 'I love being in Los Angeles. I love it but we always knew it would be an adventure and not a final destination.'
