If in your readings about the outcome of the recent British elections, you see something about Labour’s problem with being beholden to trade unions, keep in mind that 25% of Britons are members of trade unions compared with 10% of Americans. American union membership as a percentage peaked in 1954 at 35%.
I guess I’ve not read anything about Labour’s problems as being beholden to “trade unions.” I’ve probably read things that suggested the opposite, that Labour wasn’t getting the full support of trade unions, particularly in Scotland, possibly because Blair moved the party more to the centre.
. . . moved to the centre of England, that is. (How about that spelling for added colour?)