The more unions try to push Ed Miliband, the more he is likely to resist. The UK’s unions must become more adept at picking the battles they can actually win

Threatening strike action in November over public sector pension reform, the UK’s unions are flexing their muscles in a way not seen for many years. In the week of the Labour Party’s annual conference, Steve Coulter writes that because of the unions’ help in electing Ed Miliband to the Labour Leadership, he is now forced to continually demonstrate his independence from them. To achieve real policy concessions, unions must choose their battles.