Centre-left Unite union leadership candidate through to final ballot

Gerard Coyne says he has the 174 branch nominations required in the race to succeed Len McCluskey

The race to succeed Len McCluskey as the leader of Unite the union is expected to become increasingly tense after the centre-left candidate Gerard Coyne disclosed to the Guardian that he has won enough nominations to reach the final ballot.

The announcement is likely to prompt furious negotiations between Coyne's leftwing rivals as they seek to persuade each other to stand down to keep him out.