Has there ever been a less evidence based assertion than the claim of Eric Pickles, millionaire chairman of the Tory party, that Gordon Brown had become “subservient to the union barons”?
I suppose the betrayal of agency workers is exhibit No1? Or exhibit No 2 the denial of the right to strike in line with ILO conventions of airline cabin crews?
“Day by day, the unions are tightening their grip to become the life-support machine of the Labour party,” he said. “The prime minister’s dependence on them leaves him utterly incapable of making the right decisions for the country.”
No mention of exhibits Nos 3 and 4 - a public sector pay freeze beyond 2010 and a renewed attack on public sector pensions?
Enter into the fray Boy George Osborne, millionaire shadow chancellor, told the FT that the growing influence of unions over Labour could turn it into the “anti-aspiration, anti-enterprise” party.
“Slowly but surely, [it could turn into] a Labour party that is being taken over by one or two trade unions who are having an enormous influence on candidate selection in that party, who are going to provide the vast majority of funding for the election campaign,” he said.
You might expect exhibit No 5 to be deployed at this point - a union influenced Labour 2010 manifesto pledging an end to both privatisation and anti union laws not to mention improved state benefits for pensioners and the unemployed? As if.
True enough, as reported by the FT Labour has 'lost its previous ability to attract generous private donations. In the third quarter of this year, 78 per cent of donations to Labour were from trade unions, compared to barely 30 per cent in the first quarter of 2002'.
This represents the major political challenge facing the big affiliated unions including our own. If we oppose neo liberalism and the unleashing of destructive market forces on public services and the welfare state surely it is long overdue that the political party which collectively we sustain does likewise?