Colleagues,Who of us could possible witness the unfolding events of the past 24 hours without wondering what the travesty of a Con-Lib coalition will mean for the trade union movement and our allies across progressive social movements in the UK and internationally?
I do not believe that the Lib Dems as Tory allies in government will be able to effectively moderate the worst inclinations of a party desperate to unleash a turbocharged wave of neo-liberal slash and burn policy across the public sector and and who are hell bent on eradicating the relatively minor workplace safeguards. For example, the Tories have literally foamed at the mouth in creating lies about excessive health and safety legislation and the need to rein in red tape. The impact of this mantra on the HSE can only be disastrous.
You can of course expect me to document accurately what this 'government' expects to unfurl as an employment and industrial policy and in partcular I am keen to see the actual policy outcome of the supposed clash between the two party's manifestos around employment.
Whatever the outcome, we will spend the next four years in a battle for the future of the labour movement in this country, moreso than at any time over the past 13 years. I am up for this, I am sure you are.
What do you say should be our first steps?
Cheers!
Ian
5 comments:
Ian, my view is that in the long term this coalition will prove to be great benefit to the Labour Party. The Liberal Democrats will not be able to effectively curb the Conservatives, who as I see it have not really given anything up. Many Liberal Democrat supporters must be sickened by this. I cannot see how they will be able to effectively fight any future elections when Labour will be able, with justification, to say vote Lib Dem get Tory. However, the Labour Party must seize this chance to reconnect with its socialist values. The leadership is important and I hope the party do not rush into electing an heir to Blair or Brown. The trade unions have an important role to play. Our collective leadership have let Labour off the hook and the 13 years of government have, in my view, been a great disappointment. This must not happen again and pressure must be brought to bear on any future Labour administration to repeal the anti-trade union legislation. Then the laour movement can start to move forward again.
Andrew Maybury
Ian, my view is that in the long term this coalition will prove to be great benefit to the Labour Party. The Liberal Democrats will not be able to effectively curb the Conservatives, who as I see it have not really given anything up. Many Liberal Democrat supporters must be sickened by this. I cannot see how they will be able to effectively fight any future elections when Labour will be able, with justification, to say vote Lib Dem get Tory. However, the Labour Party must seize this chance to reconnect with its socialist values. The leadership is important and I hope the party do not rush into electing an heir to Blair or Brown. The trade unions have an important role to play. Our collective leadership have let Labour off the hook and the 13 years of government have, in my view, been a great disappointment. This must not happen again and pressure must be brought to bear on any future Labour administration to repeal the anti-trade union legislation. Then the laour movement can start to move forward again.
Andrew Maybury
Ian, my view is that in the long term this coalition will prove to be great benefit to the Labour Party. The Liberal Democrats will not be able to effectively curb the Conservatives, who as I see it have not really given anything up. Many Liberal Democrat supporters must be sickened by this. I cannot see how they will be able to effectively fight any future elections when Labour will be able, with justification, to say vote Lib Dem get Tory. However, the Labour Party must seize this chance to reconnect with its socialist values. The leadership is important and I hope the party do not rush into electing an heir to Blair or Brown. The trade unions have an important role to play. Our collective leadership have let Labour off the hook and the 13 years of government have, in my view, been a great disappointment. This must not happen again and pressure must be brought to bear on any future Labour administration to repeal the anti-trade union legislation. Then the laour movement can start to move forward again.
Andrew Maybury
I have always been puzzled by this myth that the Liberals are somehow left leaning progressives. They are libertarians which is why they can appear to sit on both sides of the fence, but ultimately are drawn from the priviledged few and like the rest of the priviledged classes do what is in their best interests.
Their view of trade unions is anything but sympathetic as Nick Clegg makes clear in his interview in this weeks Spectator when he describes trades unions as a vested interest and lauds Thatcher for her nattach on us.
Anybody that thinks that a Conlib Government is going to be anything other than a right wing neoliberal supporting cabal intent on taking money from the poor to give to the rich is bonkers.
Hi Andrew/Wilf,
Many thanks for your thoughtful contributions.
Interestingly I see a headline in today's Observer 'New Labour is a Thing of the Past'. What we are witnessing (hopefully) Andrew what is, as you argue, a response within the party to thoughtfully and intelligently start to interpret its relatioship with the trade union movement. Apparently Dave Milliband is suggesting, as an aspect of his leadership position that, much as you say, the relationship with the movement provides a critical conduit to the party's core vote and that to continue along the relatively ambivalent route which, as you say, TU leaders have not sufficiently challenged, spells further electoral doom.
I agree too Wilf with your position that the Lib Dems never represented any form of radical alternative and that, in-truth, what is clearly a very comfortable fit with the Conservatives tell us everything we need to know about them.
I was left after the general election with a very positive feeling (not least beacuse of the BNP trouncing in Barking) of our future. Strangely, I feel more optimistic of the future of both wings of the labour movement now than I have in some time!
Thanks again.
Cheers
Ian
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