Ken Jackson

The row over who will head the AEEU branch of the Amicus trade union could continue for several weeks, officials have said.

Blairite union chief Sir Ken Jackson lost out to Derek Simpson in his bid to retain the co-leadership of the Amicus trade union, but his complaint about the fairness of the election has meant that a formal decision on who the new leader will be has been postponed.

After four recounts, Simpson was declared the winner by 406 votes on Thursday.

But following Sir Ken's refusal to accept the result, a stormy executive committee meeting saw six members walk out, leaving the union's leadership in limbo.

Another meeting is not expected to be held for several weeks.

While Sir Ken has said it was Simpson's supporters who walked out, the move is threatening to provoke a row over the use of unfair tactics to keep a Blair-supporter at the head of the union.

Downing Street is reported to want Sir Ken to step aside to avoid further damaging splits.

With business leaders expressing concern about the prospect of increasing union militancy, Tony Blair summoned union leaders to Downing Street on Thursday night for talks on their growing rift with Labour.

The meeting - attendees at which included Bill Morris of the TGWU, Dave Prentis of Unison and John Edmonds of the GMB - was described as "private" by Downing Street.

But the timing of the meeting prompted speculation that a campaign was underway to avoid further rows over union rights and more damaging headlines about a "summer of discontent".

The shift to the left among Amicus members, which comes as the TUC is reported to be preparing to press the government to repeal Thatcher anti-union legislation, has caused concern among business leaders.

Ruth Lea, head of policy at the Institute of Directors, told the BBC on Thursday that she was "concerned" at the backlash against the Blair government.

"There are two reasons why we are concerned about the general shift to the left," she said.

"The first is the rise in militancy. We are having a hat-trick of industrial relations problems this week.

"We do fear that there's going to be further militancy, there's no doubt about it," she said.