LABOUR has pushed thousands of its core supporters to the far right because of its failure to take on Islamist extremism, a union boss has warned.

Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner tore into the Labour leadership for remaining silent during last year’s Islamist terror attacks in London and Manchester.

5 Steve Turner says Labour lack of action on extremism is pushing supporters into far-right groups

And he blasted the Left for failing to criticise despotic regimes such as Iran but being the first to protest against Donald Trump and the Israeli government.

He warned that it had left many men lacking a voice to vent their anger - and had driven them to far-right groups such as the Democratic Football Lads Alliance (DFLA).

Speaking at an anti-racism fringe meeting at the TUC conference, Mr Turner fumed: “We need to stop talking to ourselves and talk to the people who are drawn to some of these organisations – for a multitude of different reasons."

He said many who had been driven to far right groups had "genuine fears and concerns”.

5 Unite Boss, Len McClusky will like be superseded by assistant general secretary Steve Turner Credit: PA:Press Association

Mr Turner, a leading contender to replace Unite boss Len McCluskey, said: “We need to have answers to some of those and we need to talk to those people about how it’s drawing them – what’s the vacuum that we’ve left as a left.

“They say ‘you’re protesting austerity, I see you advertising the protest against Trump, I see you protesting against the Israeli government, against this, against that.

“[But] where were you protesting when somebody used a car as a weapon to mow people down on Waterloo Bridge? Where was the left?’

5 Mr Turner has said members were wondering where their party was after the Westminster Bridge attacks Credit: AP:Associated Press

“Where were we?

"Where were we when the Manchester bomb went off?

"Where were we on Westminster Bridge?

"Where was the Left?”

5 Labour party has been warned that not criticising despotic regime in Iran is pushing supporters away Credit: Reuters

And in a tirade against the Labour leadership for its silence on regimes such as Iran, the Unite official added:

“Where’s the left criticising the state of Iran for instance, who whipped trade unionists for taking strike action, who denies women human rights, who runs an obscene regime.

“Saudi Arabia, where we welcomed the head of Saudi Arabia to the UK. Did we protest? No we didn’t protest.

5 Mr Turners said that Labour core-supporters are joining far-right groups like DFLA Credit: Getty - Contributor

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"Why not? What’s so sensitive in the Left about having a discussion about these issues that leaves a vacuum that the right, for no reasons, are only too willing to fill.

“And that’s the thing about the DFLA (Football Lads Alliance) and some of these other organisations.

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“They’re filling a vacuum that in part is being left by us.

“We need to talk to those people who are attracted by it and stop talking to ourselves.

"And we don’t do it, and it’s uncomfortable.”