Trade union Unite has sacked its West Midlands regional organiser, Gerard Coyne, following his attempt to become the union's new General Secretary.

A Unite disciplinary hearing found him guilty of misusing data.

But Mr Coyne said he was the victim of a "stitch up" by a "kangaroo court" - and would appeal against the decision.

He stood against Len McCluskey for the role of General Secretary of Unite, the UK's biggest union, but lost by under 6,000 votes when the results were announced in April.

The bitter battle saw both candidates hurl accusations against each other. Mr McCluskey also attacked Black Country Labour MP Tom Watson and Labour West Midlands mayor candidate Sion Simon, complaining that they were apparently supporting Mr Coyne.

Unite the Union leader Len McCluskey.
Unite the Union leader Len McCluskey.

Unite suspended Mr Coyne from his West Midlands role in April, while the contest was still underway.

And the union has sent Mr Coyne an email saying he's been removed him from his post, following a disciplinary hearing held at Unite’s London office on June 15th.

It follows claims that Mr Coyne used Labour party data, and a call centre set up to support Siôn Simon's mayor campaign, to contact potential supporters.

Mr Coyne said: "I am deeply disappointed but not surprised at my dismissal. When you are in a kangaroo court, you are rarely surprised by the outcome."

He added: "It was always clear to me that the charges were nothing more than a stitch-up. My real ‘crime’ was having the audacity to challenge Mr McCluskey in the General Secretary election that he called unnecessarily."

He said: "It is a public warning to any member of Unite’s staff who is thinking of challenging the way the McCluskey gang run the union: ‘step out of line, and you will be out of a job’. Political dissent is not tolerated inside Unite.

"However, I will not be bullied into silence."

Mr Coyne has previously issued a formal complaint about the conduct of the leadership election, which could result in the contest being re-run if it is upheld.

And he said: "I am looking forward to a re-run of the contest. We will build a union where members interests are always put first - not subordinated to the political machinations of a clique."

He said that seven charges were originally made against him, including claims of "publicly criticising and challenging Mr McCluskey’s decisions in leaflets, newspapers and social media".

The only claim upheld in the disciplinary hearing was "related to to an alleged technical data breach, which it was claimed had damaged Unite-Labour Party relations," he said.

A Unite spokesman said: “The decision is subject to a right of appeal to Unite’s executive council, and the union will be offering no further comment on the matter.”

Unite is Labour's biggest financial backer and Mr McCluskey has been a strong supporter of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The battle to choose a General Secretary was seen as important not just for the future of Unite but also for the future of Labour.