Labour Party insiders describe Sharon Graham, the first woman elected to lead Britain's most powerful trade union, as an "unknown quantity".
But given the 51-year-old stormed to victory in the Unite general secretary race with the slogan "it’s Westminster versus the workplace”, it is no surprise those devoted to party politics know little about 'Red' Len McCluskey's successor.
Graham has a long history as a "practical" trade unionist and takes a dim view of union leaders who think publicly lambasting Labour Leaders like Keir Starmer will get results.
She has unexpectedly clinched the top job after rejecting a deal with fellow Left-wingers Steve Turner and Howard Beckett – something which led most commentators to dismiss her entirely and paint the contest as a two-horse race.
But pals say Graham, who is set to take the helm of a union of 1.2 million members, is used to ploughing her own furrow.
Born in Hammersmith, London – where she still lives today, with husband Jack and son Tom – to an Irish mum and Geordie father, she left school at 16 to become a silver service waitress and, at 17, led her first walkout for better pay and hours.
After 20 years in Unite, Graham was asked to head up its organising unit – a key position at the coalface of recruiting members and building broad support for new campaigns.
Her department boasts 15 high-profile victories and has been praised for diversifying union tactics beyond making threats to go on strike.
Gail Cartmail, Unite assistant general secretary, is one of her closest allies in the union.
Unite has around 290,000 female members and Cartmail believes Graham's victory underlines women's growing power in the labour movement.
"Sharon wasn't supposed to win," she said. "I'm really proud to know her and think she embodies what women in our movement should aspire to."
When rival candidates – Turner, who was backed by McCluskey, and Beckett, who dropped out – pressured her to stand down to block moderate Gerard Coyne from winning, Graham stuck to her guns.
Her stunning rise to the top job vindicated that decision, but at the time, Graham faced vile misogynist abuse on social media for refusing to play ball, with one poster super-imposing her face onto an image of Margaret Thatcher's.
"It was an insult to Sharon and her values, and an insult to those who worked in support of miners and their wives and the struggle against attacks on the trade union movement," said Cartmail.
Graham ran her successful campaign while home-schooling her son during lockdown and adding lockdown puppy Elsie to the family.
"I'm just in awe of her ability to win campaigns. She makes it look effortless," said Cartmail.
Graham has no plan to disaffiliate Unite from Labour... but will not necessarily be splashing the cash on political campaigning without question.
"We are in the club and we will pay what we owe," Cartmail said, adding any bid for financial support from Labour would meet with the new leader's "extremely fine analytical mind".
"Everybody is going to have to earn their crust," her ally added.
Cartmail insists the incoming general secretary will be "very practical" with Starmer and unlike other figures in Unite close to 'Red Len', "doesn't come with any baggage".
Graham does not shy from being described as Left-wing – indeed she was endorsed by the Socialist Workers' Party – but she also won backing from striking Rolls Royce members, in spite of Coyne's strong appeals and long-standing relationship with the branch.
Her priorities with Starmer will be to tackle employers' fire and rehire tactics and boosting pay for care workers.
"Sharon and Keir may have been in the same room before, but she will never have met him as general secretary," she said. "They will both have to find their feet."
Colleagues say that under Graham’s leadership of the organising unit, one of the most sophisticated pay bargaining tools has been developed, giving local union officials company information to help with pay claims.
A monthly bulletin provides information about companies, prices and other economic variables which are vital to local bargaining.
In last year’s “fire and rehire” dispute with British Airways, Graham won concessions by asking MPs to support motions against the airline’s tactics and then going face to face with the executives of IAG – the parent owners of BA – in their Europe HQ, to tell them they were about to lose landing slots at Heathrow.
She is now leading a campaign against Amazon for union recognition after setting up a hotline for its workers.
Other campaigns Graham has led include opposing illegal closures, victimisation of union leaders, and the preservation of national wage bargaining.
Friends say she is fond of saying the fight for jobs, pay and conditions is what it says “on the union tin”.
Cartmail recalls Graham's own unique style when the pair sat across the table from "the most hard nosed of employers" in negotiations.
"I would say that Sharon is possibly one of the most eloquent people I have ever met, who thinks on her feet and can diffuse tension with humour," she said.
"Some bosses have ended a meeting with Sharon and said to me 'I wouldn't mind if I never saw Sharon Graham again', but then they liked her and ultimately they gave her what she wanted."
"Sharon does not lack compassion but she has an absolutely laser focus on getting the job done," she added.
While those close to Starmer insist he is "relaxed" about Graham in charge, one Labour source, who knows Graham, told the Mirror: "I think Keir's people will be a bit anxious because they won't know how to do business with her yet.
"Her politics are very much rooted in traditional trade unionism, not books on Marxist theory.
"She is absolutely no-nonsense and she's tough. She's really f***ing tough.
"She might look at reducing some of Unite's funding to Labour, not for political reasons but more because she might not see Labour as relevant."
Cartmail, however, repeatedly insisted slashing funding was not on the agenda for Graham.
McCluskey, who leaves office on Thursday after 11 years, described Graham as a "valued and close friend" and "an integral part of my senior team throughout my time in office"
He said: "I have every faith that she will run our union in a manner true to its fighting back spirit."
In her own public statement after the results were announced, Graham said: "Bad bosses take note. A strong Unite is the best defence that our members can have - my focus now is to build that strength."
As the union looks ahead to a new era under this fierce campaigner, Starmer will be wondering if he too has just been put on notice.
