Last Friday The Times reported that the long-standing clash of cultures between the former T&G and Amicus unions had reached its zenith with a division on the cards amid "tensions" between its joint leaders.

However, the UK's largest union has released a statement in which it said that the relations between Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley "are far from as described in The Times" adding that the pair share a "warm personal friendship".

The union is currently embroiled in a row over Derek Simpson's ambitions to serve beyond his allegedly agreed retirement age, a move which has resulted in a legal challenge from within the union.

Unite announced last Thursday that Simpson will now face a re-election process. At the same time it said that the Amicus side of the union had voted to delay the full integration of the two unions until May next year.

This morning's statement from Unite said that the legal challenge was "deeply regrettable" acknowledging that it had had a "destabilising effect" in recent months.