Labour MP Tom Watson, who played a key role in exposing the Murdoch phone-hacking scandal, was the key guest speaker at last week's CWU North West region political AGM.
To an audience three times the usual size - which included 'Royle Family' star and former blacklisted trade unionist Ricky Tomlinson - Tom touched on a range of topical issues and fielded numerous questions from the floor on the demise of workers' rights under the current Tory government, trade union recognition and lent his support to the union's campaign against postal privatisation and justice for agency workers.
Tom Watson, third from right, supporting the union's Closing the Loopholes campaign.
In his address, Tom honed in on the phone hacking scandal, explaining how Prime Ministers from Thatcher and Major through to Blair and Brown had ignored the warning signs and allowed it to happen.
Citing the cover ups and lack of justice around the Hillsborough tragedy and the ongoing fight for justice for the Shrewsbury 24 that Ricky Tomlinson is currently spearheading, Tom highlighted the need to redress the balance of power between the media and government and hoped that the court cases would deliver justice and prove justification for bringing the cases out in the open.
Tom praised the leadership of Ed Miliband, particularly for standing up and calling for the resignation of former News of the World editor Rebecca Brookes, and he bestowed his confidence on the Labour Party leader's ability to lead Labour to victory at the next election.
Asked about being hostages to the press and how the balance could be changed in the public's perception, Tom said fewer people were reading newspapers and that we had to start using other means of getting the message across such as social media. Pointing out that Stephen Fry had half as many twitter supporters as read a daily newspaper, Tom stressed the need to use similar tactics in getting the message across to the voters.
Carl Webb, North West regional secretary said "It was a coup to get Tom as the guest speaker as he has become much in demand following his high-profile speeches and involvement in the phone hacking scandal. It is important that senior politicians get out and meet lay reps and their members to get a better understanding of the day-to-day issues impacting on them and their families."