With the on-going power struggle between young Ed Miliband
and ‘the trade unions’ where the Labour leader plans to water down the trade
union movement’s influence on candidate selections, it might be interesting to
know how membership of trade unions applies to we humble taxpayers, at local
levels.
As it stands, all
Labour councillors in Tameside are 'strongly encouraged' to be members of a trade union and as
such, must contribute to it financially! If any new Labour candidate can't find
a union affiliated to the Labour Party, then they are not eligible to be a
councillor. So, one can see just how important it is for all our 52 elected
Labour councillors; especially the 20 councillors who are current members of
Len McCluskey’s UNITE union, to avoid any disagreements with their trade union bosses
and their diktats.
The
Labour Party Rule Book says:
"Clause 1: General rules for
selections for public office
In addition to fulfilling any statutory requirements for the relevant
public office, persons wishing to stand as a Labour candidate must have
continuous membership of the party of at least 12 months. Where not otherwise
prevented they shall also be a member of a trade union affiliated to the TUC or
considered by the NEC as a bona fide trade union and contribute to the
political fund of that union.
That being the case, one must ask the question, if faced
with either acting on behalf of their constituency members or their trade union
brothers, whether your local Tameside councillor would choose working for the good
of their residents over their trade union bosses?
As for the political arm-wrestle; well, after today's speech by young Miliband, interesting scenarios
could present themselves. If McLuskey wins, it's the end of young Miliband, if
Miliband wins, UNITE could withdraw its £8million annual funding from the
Labour party and create another leftist party of their own.
Just huff and puff by a desperate leader caught bang to rights, and not just in Falkirk.
ReplyDeleteAsk Harriet Harman whose Unite member husband was parachuted in as prospective Labour candidate in a safe Labour seat in Birmingham, shortly after a local Unite "donation".
Labour is the trade union party and, as things stand, will cease to exist without TU contributions, and Milliband and McCluskey both know it. The only alternative is state funding for political parties. That is Milliband's real agenda.