▁transformed ▁its ▁fin ances , ▁making ▁the ▁reputation ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁his ▁later ▁appointment ▁as ▁General ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Tr ades ▁Union ▁Congress . ▁ ▁Commun ism ▁and ▁anti - comm un ism ▁Row an ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁anti - comm un ism ▁but , ▁despite ▁this , ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁Great ▁Britain ▁( CP GB ) ▁became ▁prominent ▁in ▁the ▁union ▁under ▁his ▁leadership ; ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁both ▁General ▁Secretary ▁and ▁General ▁President ▁were ▁CP GB ▁members . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁the ▁E T U ▁was ▁taken ▁to ▁court ▁for ▁" con sp i racy ▁to ▁def ra ud " ▁by ▁the ▁union ▁leadership . ▁ ▁After ▁its ▁leader ▁J ock ▁By r ne ▁suffered ▁a ▁stroke , ▁Frank ▁Ch apple ▁became ▁the ▁union ' s ▁leader ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁Un us ually ▁for ▁a ▁union ▁leader ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁Ch apple ▁esp oused ▁free - market ▁thinking , ▁and ▁he ▁aim ed ▁to ▁rid ▁his ▁union ▁of ▁commun ists ; ▁his ▁former ▁union ▁- ▁the ▁E T U ▁had ▁been ▁run ▁by ▁commun ists . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁" rel uct ant ▁loyal ist " ▁to ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁ ▁The ▁union ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁advoc ate ▁nuclear ▁power , ▁priv at isation ▁of ▁state - owned ▁indust ries ▁and ▁membership ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Union . ▁ ▁Mer ger ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 6 8 ,