RolloTreadway on Nostr: npub1g0tuf…3tvm4 I think perhaps the most significant hint at what Labour might do ...
npub1g0tuf634rz4suczwj7kgnecr6cyt0eu9xmp3sp0fku68mqehq4msp3tvm4 (npub1g0t…tvm4) I think perhaps the most significant hint at what Labour might do over five or ten years is actually nothing to do with the leadership, but came from the Gen Sec of Unite the other day:
“This is the moment of maximum leverage for the union where we can hold Labour to account. Now cannot be the time to walk away. We would be weakening our own arm.
“It would be the worst time to leave the Labour Party when they are in touching distance of power. If we leave we wouldn’t influence that power.
“Labour must be Labour and the union must push them into that position. We must make them take different choices. We will not make the same mistakes of the past. There will be no blank cheques for Labour until we see tangible results.”
And I think that is echoed by the other big unions, such as Unison (which is my union) and GMB. I expect to see unions taking a much more proactive role in Labour policy than in the Blair-Brown years.
This would presumably produce a bigger focus on public service funding, workers' rights and human rights, than on reforms of wider issues.
But I think they're absolutely right that this push has to be after gaining power, not before.
“This is the moment of maximum leverage for the union where we can hold Labour to account. Now cannot be the time to walk away. We would be weakening our own arm.
“It would be the worst time to leave the Labour Party when they are in touching distance of power. If we leave we wouldn’t influence that power.
“Labour must be Labour and the union must push them into that position. We must make them take different choices. We will not make the same mistakes of the past. There will be no blank cheques for Labour until we see tangible results.”
And I think that is echoed by the other big unions, such as Unison (which is my union) and GMB. I expect to see unions taking a much more proactive role in Labour policy than in the Blair-Brown years.
This would presumably produce a bigger focus on public service funding, workers' rights and human rights, than on reforms of wider issues.
But I think they're absolutely right that this push has to be after gaining power, not before.