The announcement was made by Labour leader Ed Miliband in a decision by the party’s ruling National Executive Committee to begin the search for a replacement immediately after the local elections in early May.
Mr Collins, who was made a peer shortly after the 2010 general election, is understood to be unhappy about the move. It came following anger among union leaders over the appearance of a mysterious rule change that would have reduced union voting power on the NEC.
Following informal talks among leaders of the big three unions – Unite, Unison and the GMB – it was agreed that the Post Office workers union CWU would table a motion at the executive’s meeting on 29 March to implement the changeover.
The motion was to be tabled by the CWU’s Andy Kerr and former party chair Ann Black but the pre-emptive announcement by Mr Miliband meant that it was not moved and the decision was made by acclamation.
Earlier, Mr Collins had tried in vain to argue that no motion should be tabled, writing to Mr Kerr and Ms Black to say that NEC officers “felt that it would not be appropriate to consider this matter in the form of a motion to the NEC”.
Although there is some doubt over the officers’ actual views, there was a feeling in some quarters that a motion from members would appear too closely to be a sacking.
Mr Collins was widely expected to quit the post after the election and his ennoblement, but surprised many by staying on and giving no indication that he wished to give up the general secretary post.
Tension with the unions came to a head when they and other NEC members complained that somone had introduced the “new” rule, in Ms Black’s words, “without any authority from the NEC or from conference, bypassing all the procedures by which the party makes its constitution and its rules”.
Mr Collins maintained that the contentious clause had merely been reinstated in the rulebook having been omitted in an earlier print run. Last month, a party spokesman claimed: “We have sat down with the unions and agreed a way forward to everybody’s satisfaction.”
At its March 29 meeting, the NEC went on to decide that the “new” rule would not apply to this year’s elections to the executive.
The announcement of Mr Collins’ forthcoming departure coincides with the launch of the party’s major consultation on the most sweeping organisational changes since its foundation in 1918. His likely successor is strongly tipped to be a senior officer in one of the big three unions.
A Labour Party Spokesperson, said: “As outlined when Ray Collins received his peerage, a process to appoint his successor would be put in place. The details of this process will be discussed after the local elections.”
