Charlie Whelan accused of bullying

Since being forced to resign as Gordon Brown's spin doctor after leaking details of Peter Mandelson's controversial mortgage loan in 1999, Charlie Whelan (pictured)has earnt his crust as the political director of Unite, the UK's largest trade union. But this is not going well. The staff have accused him of bullying, breaching staff members' contracts and discrimination against three of its employees, one of whom is the former Labour MP Bob Cryer.

One of Unite's political officers, Sarah Merrill, says in a written complaint that the political department has "a real culture of fear, and a climate of bullying that he [Mr Whelan] allows to take place in his department, which is totally at odds with the policies of the union, and indeed is totally against the principles established under any dignity-at-work procedures." So high are feelings running about Whelan's alleged bullying that union staff are now contemplating going on strike.