Response to Len McCluskey on Labour
Left Unity has welcomed comments by Unite general secretary Len McCluskey raising the possibility of a debate over funding alternatives to Labour.
Bianca Todd of Left Unity said:
“Len McCluskey is absolutely right to raise the question: if Labour’s policies are just ‘a pale shade of austerity’ then why should the unions continue to fund it?
“People are sick of Labour not standing up for them – that’s why 250 people joined our new party over the weekend.
“Just this week we saw Labour’s Lord Warner proposing a £10 a month fee for the NHS, yet Labour has taken no action against him. Now is the time to build an alternative.”
Speakers from Left Unity are available for interview. For more information contact press@leftunity.org
Notes to editors
1. Left Unity is the new party of the left in Britain. Founded in November 2013, it already has over 1,700 members and 40 branches across the country.
2. Len McCluskey said this lunchtime: “Can I ever envisage a [Unite] rules conference voting to disaffiliate from Labour? I can, I can, and that’s a challenge to Ed Miliband because I believe the Labour Party is at a crossroads, this is a watershed.
“If it’s a pale shade of austerity then I believe Labour will be defeated at the next election.”
3 comments
3 responses to “Response to Len McCluskey on Labour”
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The time for concentrated discussion on how the trade union movement funds what was once its political wing is long overdue. It time for all those unions currently supporting the party ask for service and representation in parliament and not aggression and open discord. Its imperative to gain trust and common ground or the split has to become permanent.
There can be no more waiting and putting off and action needs to be taken immediately.
If the Trade Unions backed us would they want a block vote. If they did it would be against our one member one vote
It does not necessarily have to work like that.
If TUs like what we are saying and want us to continue to campaign on issues they agree with then they can do two things- give us money and encourage their members to join on an individual basis.