Unions threaten an alliance at next election harming Labour

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Unions threaten an alliance at next election harming Labour vote

Trade unionists are planning to field candidates at the general election as part of a “workers’ alliance” that could split the Labour vote.

In an interview with The Times, Bob Crow, (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/p ... 831548.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)the general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union, said that he had been meeting pensioners’ groups, students’ organisations, green campaigners and other union representatives to draw up a joint manifesto.

Speaking on the eve of the annual Trades Union Congress, in Liverpool, he said that working-class voters had been abandoned by all the main political parties and as a result were turning to the BNP.

“We would be putting up policies that we believe people want. What our members vote for is their democratic right but certainly we can’t just sit back and say ‘Vote Labour’.”

The organisations involved in the discussions include the National Pensioners’ Convention, the National Union of Students, the Public and Commercial Services Union and the Fire Brigades Union.

The union movement is split between the 15 Labour-supporting unions and others including the RMT who may urge their members to take their votes elsewhere.

Gordon Brown is being urged by all to come up with more distinctive left-wing policies, with several unions preparing to soften their historic opposition to proportional representation.

Two influential Labour-supporting unions, the GMB and the Communication Workers Union, are backing a motion by the Public and Commercial Services Union to examine abandoning the first-past-the-post system for Westminster.

Ten union barons, including Brendan Barber, the TUC General Secretary, met the Prime Minister in the first pre-congress meeting at Chequers yesterday.

No 10 emphasised that it was not a political event but an opportunity over a lunch of chicken balti for Mr Brown to outline the Government’s plans to stimulate the economy.

Derek Simpson, the joint general-secretary of Unite, the largest union, in effect anointed Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, as Mr Brown’s heir after any leadership contest.

Mr Simpson said: “If I had to name one for the future I’d pick Ed Miliband. You would also have to say Ed Balls. You would hope Ed (Balls) is not dyed in the same mould as Gordon.”

Mr Miliband will effectively face an audition at next week’s TUC as the only Cabinet minister, other than Mr Brown, to appear before them in the conference hall. Unions hold a third of the votes to select a Labour leader.

Mr Simpson’s willingness to engage in post-Brown speculation, the day after other union leaders signalled that they would not do the same, caused much consternation.

He caused fury within Unite by suggesting that he might ask Mr Brown to stand aside. He said: “If you could convince me there is somebody who could take over and go down the old Labour route, without hesitation I would share the view that if Gordon is not prepared to do it he should stand aside and let that person do it.”

The union later issued a retraction, saying: “Unite’s joint general-secretary wishes to clarify that Gordon Brown has his full support.”

The Public and Commercial Services union has put down a motion for debate at next week’s trades union congress urging a proper discussion on PR.

Paul Kenny, the general secretary of the GMB general union, also admitted that he had changed his mind. Unite refused to say whether it would support PR.

The Prime Minister has long been opposed to voting reform, but some Cabinet Ministers, including Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, are urging him to hold a referendum on polling day.

[Ahebban]

Billy was on Radio 4 this morning in reference to the CWU motion regarding Labour Party funding and support of affiliated MPs at the forthcoming TUC conference. The main thrust of the radio article was whether the Labour Party had let down the 'working man'. He cited the recent Royal Mail privatisation bill as an example of where Labour were at odds with its grass-roots membership.

[heapsy]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who posts on here who feels badly let down by New Liebour. Why can't they do something decent for the ordinary man in the street for once?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who posts on here who feels badly let down by New Liebour. Why can't they do something decent for the ordinary man in the street for once?

I clicked a "Dirty Dozen" and said my piece though I don't think they will listen.