A Unite union boss has called on Gordon Brown to impose a windfall tax on oil companies' profits and to distribute this through something akin to 'a council tax cut'.

Unite is Labour's largest donor, with its £3.5m from nearly 2m members.

Joint general secretary Derek Simpson said Brown 'reconnect' with the concerns of Labour's core working-class supporters.

The union is also demanding a lift of the ban on secondary industrial action introduced by Margaret Thatcher and is also set to ask for a compulsory provision of private pension schemes for employees of all UK companies during Labour's national policy forum in July, the FT reported.

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Unite chief calls for oil profits winfall tax