Should union leaders like Len McCluskey withdraw support from Labour?
Given the ever increasing gulf between the unions and Labour is it now time for the unions to withdraw their support?
Earlier this year Ed Milliband condemned the industrial action taken by public sector workers followed by Ed Balls’ acceptance of every spending cut made by the government. These views are in stark contrast to that of the unions yet disturbingly similar to that of the Tory led coalition. With such opposing views how can the unions continue to support ‘New’ Labour?
There have been idle threats for a number of years for a withdrawal of support but is now the time for the unions to back a new party? What is needed is a credible opposition to the savage cuts being imposed by the condem government and blue Labour are clearly not providing it.
Disaffiliation on a mass scale is not going to happen at present. Nor should the left in the trades union movement be making it a major issue.
The big issue right now is building the left in the unions and the anti-cuts movements that are springing up across the UK.
Down here in Sussex both Green & Labour Parties are involved in local anti-cuts movements. We have had Labour banners in evidence at all recent anti- fascist & anti-cuts events that have happened in my area.
In short, the local activists are beginning to send a message to the leadership that their stance is proving increasingly unacceptable to the rank & file.
The right wing of the Party around here is looking increasingly out on a limb. And if that is happening in Sussex, you can be sure it is happening in areas that are traditionally more progressive.
My feeling is that disaffiliation on any sort of grand scale at the moment would be counter productive. It would allow the right wing to appeal to Party loyalty, circle the wagons & push a right wing agenda that they hope would appeal to the media.
My fear is that traditional Labour voters would become disillusioned and either cast protest votes for the Greens, the Trots, or not vote at all.
The priority at present must be building the resistance to the cuts. But we also have a responsibility to formulate alternatives.
The disaffiliation debate could take on a new urgency if Labour win the next election & roll over or a set of right wing policies lead them to another defeat.
But for now, there are bigger fish to fry
Fair point Bill I do believe that resistance to the cuts are a priority but Labour are not providing this. In my humble opinion Labour are the a barrier to an effective Socialist opposition. I don't see a great difference between the Labour and Tories financial proposals. We need an opposition that stands up for the working class and blue labour has not been that party for a long time. The sooner the better I say.
That's the best asewnr of all time! JMHO
Bill, I would say that you can try and build and build and build but if you cannot make any progress in terms of end product people will lose interest. Disaffiliation would be progress as it would stop unions blinding handing over eye-watering sums of money to a party which, when push comes to shove, does not give a damn about ordinary working people.
I think that we have got the world by the arse and we are trying to pull it uphill. (I'm not a member of the SLP by the way, but I am a committed Trades Unionist.)
This is something that has been debated for years without conclusion unless you consider a conclusion to be that the Trades Unions affiliated to the LP have remained in the same bed.
Actually i am of the opinion that the aims and objectives of the Trades Union leaders and the LP leaders are one and the same in so many ways. It is about 'me' and not 'we'.
The TUC allowed Thatcher et al to emasculate them years ago. Industrial action against the downgrading and/or withdrawal of basic workers (human) rights were, in effect, given away by union leaders who grew ever larger pockets but ever smaller gonads.
Look - the way around this is to form and register 'new' Trades Unions. For people in the workplace to ask their fellow workers if they would like to join a Trades Union that concentrates on the 'we' instead of the 'me' and one that will fight for them instead of running away. (With excuses of course.) It's what happened when Trades Unions were formed a couple of centuries ago so why not again? Tell you what though - I'll not hold my breath.
Oh I think they have a plan David. It's just not being implemented, or even areiaulcttd, in this term, which does make it difficult to oppose.The plan for this term is not policy, it's politics. If they get elected again they will claim a mandate based around the trust' they have earned' by not doing anything radical, and start to implement various things that have been left lying about the place in, erm, productivity commission reports. I don't think they'll dare go the full Brash. But the window of politically viable policy choices has been firmly shifted in that direction.I think the counter move is a good one, in filling the apparent vacuum with alternatives to what is being signaled. Much more please!