tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-307046112024-03-05T05:41:49.257+00:00Jon's labour movement blogThis is my personal blog. I was Branch Secretary of Lambeth UNISON from 1992 to 2017 and a member of the National Executive Council (NEC) of UNISON, the public service union (www.unison.org.uk) from 2003 to 2017. I am now a retired member of UNISON.
I am Chair of Brighton Pavilion Constituency Labour Party and a member of the Labour Representation Committee (LRC).
Neither the Labour Party nor UNISON is responsible for the contents of this personal blog. Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.comBlogger2930125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-41215953808884807282023-02-01T10:15:00.003+00:002023-02-01T10:15:49.767+00:00Support the strikers!<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mzyixtndEUkTgh2P3x2Ycb_B4kuJkKEDnC0aeAq35kUkVfkEEBuOxgmGFoOPjxFDumcY1FjW6JjisKsTzRMCncCXqu8lkw8nX-9W0gCPVJE4dVBYJpySTRH0Pm81Iwn69ZVmumUmT32SqDqgH6yQoyqyEDpDKDvEaL-f5cRaAH_Bo9AqJdQ/s1280/brighton.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="904" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mzyixtndEUkTgh2P3x2Ycb_B4kuJkKEDnC0aeAq35kUkVfkEEBuOxgmGFoOPjxFDumcY1FjW6JjisKsTzRMCncCXqu8lkw8nX-9W0gCPVJE4dVBYJpySTRH0Pm81Iwn69ZVmumUmT32SqDqgH6yQoyqyEDpDKDvEaL-f5cRaAH_Bo9AqJdQ/s320/brighton.jpeg" width="226" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />More workers will be taking strike action, officially, today than on any date since <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2011/11/shattered_30.htmlhttps://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2011/11/shattered_30.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">30th of November 20</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">11.</span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Following the defeat of the defence of public service pensions in the early years of the last decade, many of us felt that it would be years before our movement was fit and ready to take such action again.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The combination of rising price inflation (which can certainly not be attributed to a "wage-price spiral”) with a vicious and declining Tory government prepared to launch unprecedented attacks upon the civil rights of workers and trade union members, has returned the class struggle to centre stage.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Even the draconian restrictions now imposed, by the 2016 Act, on the limited protection from civil liability when trade unions call strikes, have not prevented the calling of mass strike action at a national level (albeit some of our trade unions have a way to go to catch up). <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Much of what has gone wrong in this country (and many others) over the past generation has been associated with the decline in strength and combat liberty of the trade union movement. Those of you who are still at work, and whose health permits you to participate in these vital struggles, I wish you all the luck in the world.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-8611199493543247512023-01-25T19:33:00.001+00:002023-01-25T19:33:45.618+00:00Men, the menopause and sex discrimination - Tories plumb new depths of ignorance and reaction<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnJa3T4MppAj_wlu7xpOoRJKEEdlpjrQj4N2WcOeh3BQ51L-Q53FrYl3WEV9h964gbn5OhJxTWbxbNIaeqUnFMBEPTxNbnU2fX_gyLJT_IFdYqzKZWUDLDt7PeDTy99Xg5i_KHILSc3X8oF7dAMo-H1gNzKxpjbtV9kPqVE8yPfuzl3FwprU/s256/menopause.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="174" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnJa3T4MppAj_wlu7xpOoRJKEEdlpjrQj4N2WcOeh3BQ51L-Q53FrYl3WEV9h964gbn5OhJxTWbxbNIaeqUnFMBEPTxNbnU2fX_gyLJT_IFdYqzKZWUDLDt7PeDTy99Xg5i_KHILSc3X8oF7dAMo-H1gNzKxpjbtV9kPqVE8yPfuzl3FwprU/s1600/menopause.jpeg" width="174" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />It is now more than 27 years since the House of Lords accepted the ruling of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in the case of <a href="https://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1995/13.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">Webb v E.M.O. Air Cargo (UK) Ltd</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><a href="http://iclr.co.uk/pubrefLookup/redirectTo?ref=1995+ICR+1021" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">[1995] ICR 1021</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">].</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Crucially, the ECJ held that; “there can be no question of comparing the situation of a woman who finds herself incapable, by reason of pregnancy… …of performing the task for which she was recruited with that of a man similarly incapable for medical or other reasons.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This important and progressive ruling from the ECJ established the modern understanding that any detriment imposed upon a woman because she is pregnant is sex discrimination, because a male comparator is simply not possible.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In many decades of workplace trade union activity, I always felt that one of our highest priorities as trade unionists must be to protect our members who are pregnant. After all, we are all of us only present in the workplace because of a pregnancy!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Equality Act 2010, one of the last acts of the last Labour Government, established "pregnancy and maternity" as <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/18"><span class="s1">a protected characteristic</span></a>, providing additional protection to women workers, operating alongside the right not to be subject to sex discrimination.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A generation on from the struggle to get the law to recognise that detriments imposed upon pregnant women are plainly sex discrimination, workplace activists and trade unions have been campaigning for recognition of the rights and needs of women workers going through the menopause. The TUC have produced an <a href="https://www.tuc.org.uk/menopause-work"><span class="s1">online interactive guide</span></a>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Last summer, the <a href="https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/328/women-and-equalities-committee/"><span class="s1">House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee </span></a>produced a report with recommendations concerning <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmwomeq/91/summary.html"><span class="s1">Menopause and the Workplace.</span></a> Among the recommendations were that he Government should launch a consultation on how to amend the Equality Act to introduce a new protected characteristic of menopause.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This week the Government produced its <a href="https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/33631/documents/183795/default/"><span class="s1">response to that report</span></a>, rejecting that recommendation on the grounds that; "it is important to ensure that the policy is considered in the round to avoid unintended consequences which may inadvertently create new forms of discrimination, for example, discrimination towards men suffering from long-term medical conditions.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Whoever drafted, approved and published this absurd argument very clearly did so in complete ignorance of the debates which took place around pregnancy and discrimination in the 1990s, leading up to the decision in the Webb case. They can no more be a male comparator for a woman experiencing the menopause, then there can be a male comparator for a pregnant woman.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There may be sound arguments against establishing menopause as a new "protected characteristic", but the nonsensical suggestion that a risk of discrimination against men suffering from long-term medical conditions is one such argument must be dismissed.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If I thought that my individual "identity" or personal experience gave any added weight to the argument I am making here, I would point out that I am just one such man suffering from a long-term medical condition (and one which has led me to years of hormone therapy, with side-effects which mimic in some respects some experiences of the menopause!)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, since I don’t have any time for identity politics, I won't waste your time with that nonsense, but will instead focus on the nonsense being peddled on behalf of our government, who assert that special provision for women workers experiencing the menopause could somehow discriminate against men.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The fact that such an uninformed and reactionary opinion can be expressed on behalf of the Government in 2023 is indicative of the increasing space within which right-wing "culture warriors" are now able to operate and to push back against the social gains of recent decades.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-89104285273353029652023-01-19T12:34:00.003+00:002023-01-19T12:34:53.760+00:00Normal blogging in 2023...<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Regular readers of this Blog (Sid and Doris Blogger) may have noticed a dearth of posts over the past month.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rather than promising that "normal service will be resumed as soon as possible", I think it may be more sensible to say that this could be the “new normal”.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have written here before about my diagnosis of <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2018/08/our-health-service-and-our-labour-party.html"><span class="s1">prostate cancer</span></a>, and subsequently of <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2020/04/keeping-on-to-end.html"><span class="s1">advanced prostate cancer</span></a>. Not wanting me to miss out on a very popular illness which I had otherwise escaped for the last three years, this holiday season kindly also gifted me my first experience of Covid (!) I have recovered from Covid, but won't be recovering from cancer…</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This blog has always been primarily somewhere where I pontificate based upon my experience in our movement. Following my <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2017/06/cheerio-unison.html"><span class="s1">stepping down from my UNISON responsibilities in 2017</span></a>, I have spent the past six years serving as chair of<a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2017/03/labour-campaigning-for-socialism-in.html"><span class="s1"> Brighton Pavilion Constituency Labour Party (CLP</span></a>). I also served as the<a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/07/brighton-and-hove-labour-local-campaign.html"><span class="s1"> last chair of the Brighton and Hove Local Campaign Forum</span></a>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Given the unavoidable progressive deterioration in my state of health, I will not be seeking re-election as CLP Chair at the coming AGM. I am no longer able to commit to attend evening meetings, particularly not as we return to meeting in person. I certainly can't be out on the streets campaigning.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course this will change the nature of this little blog.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope to continue blogging for a while yet however. Indeed, once I no longer hold any position in the movement I may take the opportunity to be a little more forthright in expressing my opinions (having always been exceptionally <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2016/07/those-who-campaigned-for-brexit-are-no.html"><span class="s1">measured</span></a> and <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2015/01/one-step-forward-one-step-back.html"><span class="s1">reserved</span></a> in <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2015/12/worrying-news-of-electoral-malpractice.html"><span class="s1">everything </span></a>I have ever said here of course…)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For now, I wish good luck to the comrades locally who will be standing for <a href="https://www.brightonhovelabour.com/"><span class="s1">Labour in May’s local elections</span></a> and all those in UNISON who will be supporting the <a href="https://timeforrealchange.uk/"><span class="s1">Time For Real Change candidates</span></a> in the forthcoming elections to the national Executive Council.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-31450881596479337082022-12-20T13:39:00.005+00:002022-12-20T13:45:42.358+00:00UNISON - an honorary life member writes...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhkSXpjJpykfsQ3eZFuP4EB3vczrpEbtpc1XW5M4Np5jSSNvyLZpI5nZ-OTLW6tx9B6CTo-lsV8mkwPi4L3IEUR1olUXUF5UvWi_zrhBEebByXtmdV6_f9KCeAVqbyhpkEQOWrowQupaq4gpYr1xMNigVAEbPEK5TFNykYStaw-XbDMXx7jQ/s2048/320584326_893296271937615_5551091641169978513_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhkSXpjJpykfsQ3eZFuP4EB3vczrpEbtpc1XW5M4Np5jSSNvyLZpI5nZ-OTLW6tx9B6CTo-lsV8mkwPi4L3IEUR1olUXUF5UvWi_zrhBEebByXtmdV6_f9KCeAVqbyhpkEQOWrowQupaq4gpYr1xMNigVAEbPEK5TFNykYStaw-XbDMXx7jQ/s320/320584326_893296271937615_5551091641169978513_n.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I have today received my certificate and badge as an honorary life member of UNISON. Diligent readers of this blog (Sid and Doris Blogger) may recollect </span><a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/06/having-time-of-my-life-in-accordance.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">my having been awarded this honour </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">at the close of last year's National Delegate Conference. There is, of course, however, many a slip twixt cup and lip, so it has taken a few months for the matter to be finalised.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I won't repeat the thanks I gave in June when originally notified of the decision of UNISON's lay leadership to grant my honorary life membership, although I remain very grateful to my comrades on the UNISON NEC, and also to the UNISON officials who helped to make this happen.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bearing in mind that I have been <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2018/08/our-health-service-and-our-labour-party.html"><span class="s1">living with prostate cancer since 2018</span></a>, and with <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2020/04/keeping-on-to-end.html"><span class="s1">advanced cancer since 2020</span></a>, it is handy to have been able to get the honorary life membership in whilst I still have some life in which to enjoy it!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">According to the certificate this honour has been awarded in recognition of “outstanding service to the union”. As an extremely modest person, I could not have put it better myself. There will, however, be some who might take a different view, given that I devoted years to <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2016/06/i-couldnt-possibly-comment.html"><span class="s1">being troublesome</span></a> at every level of the organisation.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Given that the whole purpose of a trade union is to organise and mobilise those of us who have, individually, less power so that our collective strength can answer those who have power over us, troublemakers are inevitably the sort of people most likely to provide “outstanding service to the union”.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/12/missing-from-strike-wave.html"><span class="s1">expressed here recently my regret </span></a>that UNISON in local government is not yet part of the strike wave which represents a reasonable response to the refusal of the Tory Government to consider pay rises which will protect the standard of living of our members.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It will take some time (some years) to transform UNISON into the fighting trade union which can take its rightful place at the leadership of a combative working-class movement. However, <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2021/06/unison-national-executive-council.html"><span class="s1">over the past 18 months</span></a>, a majority of members of the UNISON NEC have been starting the work which needs to be done to achieve this objective (in the teeth of <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/06/much-of-what-happened-at-unison.html"><span class="s1">virulent opposition</span></a> from the supporters of UNISON's Ancien Regime).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since my honorary life membership will (obviously) only last as long as my life, I won't be in UNISON to see the better future for the trade union for which so many, myself included, fought for so long. That future is far from being assured, and if UNISON is to become the organisation needed by our members, and the wider working-class, then activists need to mobilise now to <a href="https://timeforrealchange.uk/latest/a-branch-guide-to-nominating-in-unisons-nec-elections"><span class="s1">nominate</span></a> and campaign for candidates in the forthcoming UNISON NEC elections standing under the banner of "<a href="https://timeforrealchange.uk/"><span class="s1">Time For Real Change</span></a>”.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The internal struggle for democracy and accountable leadership within our trade unions is not a diversion from the struggle to respond to the cost of living crisis, it is an essential part of that struggle.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Take it from an honorary life member…<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-75429892755065786422022-12-13T14:09:00.001+00:002022-12-13T14:09:39.374+00:00Missing from the strike wave<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdb3ipu3y-X6nb2N0M1ep7-Hw9rHZOcXzCDkHXoUL74c79OrpOxZC1eC6qiFJ0jGaIpgdbNrY5Kyc_KFNTt-xc8LtxIMVktc7A3OC1i_OLK-JDvgOzcRnCrdybzLyNmhmkBgV1T_Kc_M1KNyLevxNy6lIR-c9snJOkd9nNdw2kRSsXQBDG54/s350/1145-2369436344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="350" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdb3ipu3y-X6nb2N0M1ep7-Hw9rHZOcXzCDkHXoUL74c79OrpOxZC1eC6qiFJ0jGaIpgdbNrY5Kyc_KFNTt-xc8LtxIMVktc7A3OC1i_OLK-JDvgOzcRnCrdybzLyNmhmkBgV1T_Kc_M1KNyLevxNy6lIR-c9snJOkd9nNdw2kRSsXQBDG54/s320/1145-2369436344.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">It's bad enough being a retired trade union activist, living with advanced cancer, forced to sit and watch the largest strike wave in years played out on our streets and in our workplaces. What is worse is the knowledge that, even had I not retired, I would be part a section of the workforce which seems, at present, set to sit out the current wave of struggle.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In spite of <a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/news/press-release/2022/11/pay-victory-for-museum-staff-following-five-day-strike/"><span class="s1">pockets</span></a> of <a href="https://www.union-news.co.uk/win-eastbourne-refuse-workers-secure-19-pay-rise/"><span class="s1">militancy</span></a> there does not seem to be an immediate prospect of the local government trade unions leading the largest workforce in the economy into battle nationally to defend our living standards. This is the case although the objective need for action on local government pay is far greater now than it was when we took national strike action in 2002, 2008 or 2014.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">According to <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/averageweeklyearningsearn01"><span class="s1">official data published today</span></a> average real wages across the economy as a whole are currently falling at an annual rate of 2.7%. This is not because workers are having their pay cut in money terms, but because pay increases are failing to keep pace with price inflation (the<a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/consumerpriceinflation/october2022"><span class="s1"> latest official figure for the consumer price index</span></a> (CPI) is 11.1%).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Even workers who are winning pay rises of 10%, which seem impressive compared to years of pay freezes during Tory austerity, are seeing their real wages fall.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Local government workers (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland), who had become accustomed to a modest decline in real earnings each year as our pay was frozen whilst price inflation inched upwards, are in most cases now seeing the largest single year fall in a real earnings in decades. The <a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2022/11/NJC-Pay-Award-2022-23-Letter-to-Employers.pdf"><span class="s1">latest pay settlement</span></a> gave the lowest paid workers a fall in real earnings of less than 1% but for much of the workforce the real pay cut was 7%.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Postal workers, rail workers, civil servants, health service workers and many others are being led into struggle against the attack on working-class living standards.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Local government workers are the biggest battalion in our entire movement, organised across the three largest trade unions, and primarily by UNISON.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It is a third of a century since local government workers<a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/11922346.nalgo-strike-on/"><span class="s1"> last really won</span></a> a significant national battle over pay.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's about time things changed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Just once in my life I would like to see UNISON in local government really live up to its potential.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-692397429656418362022-12-04T15:12:00.001+00:002022-12-04T15:12:55.994+00:00Lambeth's Living Legend<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTFwtlRDNIN9jYL_rnWsB06WThkJ9kHQ77UwGxYTMLEC91w3QT3BdxrRHTbWJ-Ag8i6wvMJmGuOhy16kXpjLDOjrH0R7U-JXFcIuXUAusQ4tuNa-OKK-YDpt1Q_l4LsQfg2IwderE7W2psFb_dzlsJbsAOuMwrCeUWSvZ2DkU_6vIQewZ3UE/s745/Jackie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="745" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTFwtlRDNIN9jYL_rnWsB06WThkJ9kHQ77UwGxYTMLEC91w3QT3BdxrRHTbWJ-Ag8i6wvMJmGuOhy16kXpjLDOjrH0R7U-JXFcIuXUAusQ4tuNa-OKK-YDpt1Q_l4LsQfg2IwderE7W2psFb_dzlsJbsAOuMwrCeUWSvZ2DkU_6vIQewZ3UE/s320/Jackie.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I am indebted to a recent reader of this blog for kindly reminding me of an event which took place last month at UNISON's national LGBT+ conference.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My old friend, and Lambeth UNISON branch comrade, Jackie Lewis received a <a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2022/11/living-legend-jackie-lewis-given-lgbt-lifetime-achievement-award/"><span class="s1">well deserved award for lifetime achievement </span></a>as a trade union activist.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The national trade union rightly recognised Jackie’s decades of pioneering commitment to lesbian and gay (latterly LGBT+) self organisation in the labour movement and to building solidarity with the Palestinian people (it was Jackie who <a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2020/04/lgps-court/"><span class="s1">took the case to the Supreme Court </span></a>to permit local government pension funds to refuse to invest in companies which profit from, for instance, arms sales or the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, what are those who admire Jackie's national political activity may not know just how impressive her work at branch level has been for more than 40 years. Having recently had <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/11/rest-in-power-hitesh-patel-16958-111122.html"><span class="s1">two</span></a> (rather sad) <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/11/farewell-roger-lewis-010662-221122.html"><span class="s1">occasions</span></a> to remember friends and comrades from the Lambeth branch, the award at LGBT+ conference made me think that I should also place on record my admiration for Jackie while I still can (and while she can read it).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jackie Lewis was already a well-established NALGO activist when I arrived to work in Lambeth Council in 1987. Indeed, as I recall, Jackie was Assistant Branch Secretary of NALGO at that time. By the time I became a NALGO branch officer in the early 1990s, Jackie was Convenor of Social Services (becoming convenor of Adult Services this century).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">During 25 years as Branch Secretary of the most demanding, exciting, infuriating and wonderful trade union branch I relied upon Jackie Lewis for support in very many ways. Jackie’s diligence, which borders on pedantry, makes her one of the most effective and experienced caseworkers in our movement, and one to whom I would often turn for advice.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jackie is also an excellent negotiator. Before my time in Lambeth, she had been part of the team who had agreed what was, at the time, the best maternity package in local government. Jackie’s persistence and determination has, over many years, struck fear into the hearts of managers and won their respect (occasionally having the same effect on her Branch Secretary). <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This wasn't only true locally. For most of the past 30 years, Jackie has served on the UNISON Greater London Regional Local Government Committee and its Executive, representing London on the UNISON National Social Services Committee for many years (until a manoeuvering reactionary managed to exclude her).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jackie’s knowledge of the wider trade union, having also served for many years on the Regional Committee and attended Conferences and the TUC often benefited the Lambeth branch. Jackie can be relied upon to suggest amendments that might keep a radical motion on the right side of the Standing Orders Committee.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Most of all, Jackie Lewis is a loyal, dedicated and disciplined trade unionist. In 2004, Jackie was the only member of our branch committee to vote against a conference motion, which I proposed, calling for the resignation of Tony Blair as Prime Minister. However, when, as a branch delegate, she was asked to move the same motion against the opposition of the UNISON NEC, she not only agreed but did so brilliantly. Such understanding of collective discipline and democratic accountability is the measure of a great trade unionist.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jackie certainly deserve the recognition which she received last month for her national activities, but I think that her service to the workers of Lambeth is the most important and admirable feature of a lifetime of unparalleled activity within our movement.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-8215156858921520072022-11-23T10:55:00.001+00:002022-11-23T10:58:25.872+00:00Farewell Roger Lewis (01/06/62-22/11/22)<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdH5tLmCfN64zOqE-kuAx0i1GwHg67fCP8Rv07k5J7ukQ_hWJr2AjXpl7Zq2V7le4_cnhJsau79hnYKhfhpWDKC_OOfZCpFxIsGaexsg2IfsGqjiFQpeNhc9Ij9WXCRECmYIS9KCEpdluyYPY9Y0sOaAeKw1AXoHQHLwxPARd0p-f4aIV6NU/s800/RogerL.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdH5tLmCfN64zOqE-kuAx0i1GwHg67fCP8Rv07k5J7ukQ_hWJr2AjXpl7Zq2V7le4_cnhJsau79hnYKhfhpWDKC_OOfZCpFxIsGaexsg2IfsGqjiFQpeNhc9Ij9WXCRECmYIS9KCEpdluyYPY9Y0sOaAeKw1AXoHQHLwxPARd0p-f4aIV6NU/s320/RogerL.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger speaking in 2016</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Our movement has lost a bright star. Roger Lewis, secretary of Lambeth Council’s joint trade unions has died an untimely death at the age of only 60. Roger's loss will be felt not only amongst the workforce of Lambeth Council but much more widely throughout UNISON and the labour movement, and will be felt particularly brutally by those campaigning for the rights of disabled workers.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have known Roger as a committed socialist and trade union activist for more than 30 years. Roger arrived to work in Lambeth Council in 1987, a young and enthusiastic socialist in his mid 20s. He worked in social services day centres where he rapidly became a leading shop steward for a group of workers who were often treated badly by managers whilst delivering vital services to a vulnerable client group.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">During the late 1980s and early 1990s when strike action was still a frequent feature of a trade union life, Roger was a reliable and stalwart picket as well as developing as an experienced and effective caseworker representing individual trade unionists facing difficulties in the workplace.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I remember Roger outside the Town Hall, protesting against cuts and the poll-tax, supporting the advice centre and youth centre occupations and demonstrating against the Gulf War. I also remember Roger as part of a group of twentysomethings having our first drink at the newly opened Wetherspoons pub in Brixton (!)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Roger was one of a number of our shop stewards at that time who was a member of the Socialist Workers Party and, whilst that meant we did not always see eye to eye on every dot and comma of our politics, as a left-wing Branch Secretary I knew I could rely upon Roger and his comrades when the chips were down.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Though sensible managers respected Roger as a diligent and effective shop steward, some of his local managers were not in that category. In 2005 a hostile local manager seized upon a malicious complaint to try to secure Roger’s dismissal. With the support of his legendary UNISON Convenor, Jackie Lewis, Roger fought off this vicious attack.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, in a cruel twist of fate, at the same time, Roger who was already suffering with arthritis, found that a degenerative condition was costing him his sight. Once more, local management tried to get rid of Roger on the grounds that he could not carry out his duties. Roger and his trade union branch fought back and won.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Not only did Roger retain his employment as he lost his sight but he took on a new role and, from then onwards, as well as continuing to be a leading trade union activist, Roger played a vital role in developing Lambeth’s service provision for disabled people locally. In a short blog post I cannot possibly do justice to the many ways in which Roger contributed to our society. There will I'm sure be others who can say much more.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Such was Roger's courage and determination as he faced acquiring a life changing disability in mid-life that he was not distracted from his commitment to the class struggle. On the contrary, Roger acquired a renewed focus and rapidly became a key figure in UNISON's Disabled Member’s Self Organised Group in the branch and beyond.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When the Coalition Government launched its savage attack upon public services and our welfare state, Roger was to the fore in organising Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC) an organisation to which Roger gave his persistence and commitment, and through which he became a nationally known figure.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As Roger became an increasingly common sight, with a megaphone or on a platform outside Parliament or on a demonstration, he remained a fully committed member of his union branch and continued his valuable work for the Council. When my retirement from UNISON roles in 2017 created various vacancies, Roger stepped up to take on the challenging role of Secretary of the Joint Trade Unions for Lambeth Council.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This involved the vital and often thankless task of building and maintaining unity between the different trade unions while leading negotiations with the Council over a period during which it repeatedly and determinedly demolished its own Human Resources function. The workers of Lambeth Council enjoy decent conditions of service and broadly fair staffing procedures, and for the past five years Roger Lewis, more than anyone else, mobilised our collective organisation to defend those rights.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I had hoped to see Roger last month when he was in Brighton representing Lambeth at UNISON's National Disabled Members Conference. Characteristically, however, when I was unable to get out in the evening, Roger couldn't meet at the end of the Conference as he had to get back to Lambeth for a work commitment. I have no doubt that right up until Roger was taken into hospital having had a heart attack last Friday, he was working hard for our class and our movement. I cannot describe the anger I feel that someone who did as much as any of us to defend our pensions from successive attacks will not have enjoyed a single day of retirement.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have known and represented a very great number of trade unionists and trade union activists. Roger Lewis shines out in my memory for his courage, commitment and determination. If he could inspire an old cynic who is writing this blog I can only imagine the inspiration which his example will continue to offer to so many comrades for so long.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Farewell Roger and thank you for your comradeship.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-74096548907009493722022-11-20T10:52:00.000+00:002022-11-20T10:52:01.391+00:00Labour disciplinarians out of control?<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">What follows is the text of</span><a href="https://labourhub.org.uk/2022/11/19/defend-andrea-egan/" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1"> a post</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> which I wrote for the excellent </span><a href="https://labourhub.org.uk/" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">LabourHub</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Blog following the </span><a href="https://novaramedia.com/2022/11/18/president-of-unison-expelled-from-labour-party/" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">alarming news </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">that the Labour Party membership of UNISON President Andrea Egan had been terminated;</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Just when you think that the unjustified administrative and disciplinary action being taken against socialists in Starmer’s Labour Party has reached its nadir, the adolescent Blairites in charge of the Party’s bureaucratic machine excel themselves once more.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The latest outrage from party headquarters (whereever that is) is the termination of the membership of the elected president of the U.K.'s largest trade union, UNISON. Andrea Egan because she posted links to two articles in the journal “Socialist Appeal”, published by an organisation which has been prescribed by the NEC.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The rules of the Labour Party (disgracefully) permit the termination of a member’s membership in such circumstances without any right to a hearing (although a hearing is possible, after the membership has been terminated, if the former member submits an appeal and waits for many months for it to be heard).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This means that a member can be thrown out of the party for linking to an article published in a little-read journal, which was created some 30 years ago precisely to argue that socialists should be in the Labour Party and vote Labour, and the obvious injustice of this action cannot even be tested in a hearing for months and months.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If on the other hand a member posts a link to an article from a Tory newspaper, or a right-wing journal such as the Spectator, they will face no action. There is no objectivity or fairness in Labour's disciplinary process, indeed the very obvious and deliberate unfairness, which achieves the voluntary departure of many socialists from the Party, is really the whole point.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It won't have been an accident that the latest victim of injustice is UNISON's President. This is plainly a deliberate and audacious attempt to show just how little respect the party machine and leadership have for the trade unions in general and active rank-and-file trade union members in particular. This sends a message not only to the hard left in parliament and beyond, but to soft left MPs who might want to show their trade union affiliations in ways of which the leadership disapproves.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Starmer and his allies are preparing for a Labour Government which may have to go to war with the trade unions in order to implement a watered down version of Tory austerity (which is what you believe to be responsible progressive politics if you are Rachel Reeves or Wes Streeting). A deliberate offence to the lay leadership of the largest trade union is a good start from this point of view.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The only other people who will welcome this absurd attack upon a decent and committed socialist trade union activist will be those trade unionists who are desperate to encourage the exodus of socialists from the Labour Party in the forlorn hope that for the first time in more than a century this will lead to the creation of a new mass party of the working class (spoiler alert: it won’t).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It would, however, be much too simplistic to see this as simply a conflict between the Labour Party and trade unions. This may be how it is seen by those who dream of a Labour government no longer beholden to the organised working-class, or by those who yearn for the exit of all socialists from a party (whether they themselves are within or beyond the Party). The real picture involves officialdom in both of the Party and the unions.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There are not separate bureaucracies of the Labour Party and the trade unions. There is a single labour movement bureaucracy which crosses both wings of our movement. UNISON often employs senior officials directly from the employment of the Party, and the senior officials of the trade union (apart from the small minority still following the Morning Star) generally share the attitudes and mindset of those are in control of the Party.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Andrea Egan exemplifies the best of the socialist activists who currently form a majority on the National Executive Council of UNISON. There will therefore be those, amongst the paid officials and right wing lay activists of the trade union, who will welcome anything which they feel may make it less likely that she is re-elected in the forthcoming elections to the NEC. Their aspiration for the role of UNISON under a Labour Government is to repeat the experience of the New Labour years, when we failed to stop foundation hospitals, student fees and the Iraq war.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Labour’s right wing do not want the absolute destruction of our trade unions. They depend upon them for a reliable source of funding when the billionaires go back to the Tory party, always their first choice. What the leadership of the Party, and their allies in the labour movement bureaucracy, want is a trade union movement sufficiently subordinate to Labour in government that it will not threaten the mass mobilisation of our class around policies in our own interests.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If we want a labour movement that will defend the interest of our members from both Tory and Labour governments, then our response to the unjustified attack upon Andrea Egan must be to support her fight to remain within the Party and to fight within a trade unions to force the unions to use the influence they still have to defend party democracy and socialist activists.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-55538102536879697612022-11-13T13:51:00.002+00:002022-11-13T13:51:36.394+00:00Rest in Power: Hitesh Patel (16/9/58-11/11/22)<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBSm4XcV2J2-7_CViwgdWanNwoS6ecN0xDS373WRKYa6fyJrYf_83PhQPHHHTJN4f2-AWiLDkaVlrLmUXvVIffbAn3gi5uJ3k9BzpyaD1Z6kvElSuHoVbqL4TYtvLIPsXiK0HqI8M2oweT37SK8dAfyp7q_fbaZ1lZTqRanRI794NwS54NUc/s720/Hitesh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBSm4XcV2J2-7_CViwgdWanNwoS6ecN0xDS373WRKYa6fyJrYf_83PhQPHHHTJN4f2-AWiLDkaVlrLmUXvVIffbAn3gi5uJ3k9BzpyaD1Z6kvElSuHoVbqL4TYtvLIPsXiK0HqI8M2oweT37SK8dAfyp7q_fbaZ1lZTqRanRI794NwS54NUc/s320/Hitesh.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hitesh with Hassina Malik defending our pensions</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">On Friday 11th November, the Lambeth branch of UNISON lost one of our most respected and admired retired members.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hitesh Patel, 64, a true friend and comrade, died unexpectedly whilst receiving treatment for the long running degenerative condition, the consequences of which he had borne with great fortitude for several years.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I had known Hitesh since soon after he arrived to work in Lambeth Council around the turn of the century. He was a loyal and solid trade unionist and it was entirely appropriate that he soon became a reliable and hard-working shop steward.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In a trade union branch notorious for having a diversity of socialist activists, Hitesh bridged the gap between the politically motivated comrades, most of whom (myself included) often failed to relate to our ordinary members like human beings, and the other shop stewards (who did not try to sell each other newspapers).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hitesh was a principled and committed anti-imperialist, but he was never trying to recruit anyone to anything (apart from UNISON), promoting any Party or faction (although he was always on the side of the left) or pursuing any personal agenda or ambition.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hitesh had a gentle kindness and generosity of spirit which is, sadly, all too rare in our movement. He brought together the commitment to a better world and the desire to help each individual which together make the best socialist shop stewards.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As a Branch Secretary, I knew that Hitesh was someone upon whom I could rely to take on an individual case, to stand on a picket line or to attend a demonstration.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He applied the courage and determination which made him such a fine trade unionist to coping with the enormous health challenges which he faced in recent years, and which led him to retire from the council last year.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">More than anything, he was my friend. I am devastated that we have lost him at such an unreasonably young age, and I know that many others who knew him will be feeling the same.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The best of a lifetime of trade union activism is the best of the people we meet along the way. Hitesh Patel enriched my life and I am proud and grateful to have known him.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Leon Rosselson put it better than I can;</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And our lives were made rich by the cause that we fought for</span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The friendship the fellowship, sharing one pain</span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To transform society, end exploitation</span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And that day will come yet, but not in my time</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-85926231923673080802022-11-11T16:05:00.002+00:002022-11-11T16:05:51.117+00:00UNISON's Braveheart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_EOU8GqyymRC13DHI8MLK73GpXmUnemmHOMqGvaxXQRGGN-Ev9USNgGdCzRJPT2KyKE-VCmDr0or_Ybd1dDCv3Gqi0J-T-3cfD6509qyLA60kg5TsgboEmXjPL0pUSO2NPYDV4wMPFEIzBx_BfdpTYzgqQXCQSu-MYKOP70dCe8dNPpQ5g4/s474/th-3008636290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_EOU8GqyymRC13DHI8MLK73GpXmUnemmHOMqGvaxXQRGGN-Ev9USNgGdCzRJPT2KyKE-VCmDr0or_Ybd1dDCv3Gqi0J-T-3cfD6509qyLA60kg5TsgboEmXjPL0pUSO2NPYDV4wMPFEIzBx_BfdpTYzgqQXCQSu-MYKOP70dCe8dNPpQ5g4/s320/th-3008636290.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">A UNISON NEC member (and past President of the Union), has successfully</span><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breach-of-rule-decision-mckay-v-unison" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1"> bought a complaint against UNISON</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> to the Certification Officer.</span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Whether or not one agrees with the action taken in the particular case, it is important to recognise and salute the courage required on the part of an individual to take such a case against one's own union.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although the Certification Officer carries out a role that has existed for more than 100 years, it is true that their role in considering complaints from trade union members has its origins in the anti-union laws of the Thatcher Government. Therefore, those of us who have found ourselves compelled to challenge what we considered to be wrongdoing by making such a complaint have always risked the opprobrium which comes with being seen to complain about the labour movement using anti-union laws.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1116429/Final_decision.pdf"><span class="s1">detailed decision of the Certification Officer</span></a> does illustrate the fact that the case presented by UNISON (that is to say by UNISON officials on behalf of the trade union) did not disagree with the facts as presented by the applicant, and also that UNISON officials were happy to agree with them as to the appropriate remedy, this does not detract from the considerable personal courage which will have been required to bring the case.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I would like to be able to say that this was a characteristically courageous challenge to the unjust abuse of power by a comrade upon whom I could always rely for support when I was part of an embattled and abused minority on the UNISON NEC. I would like to be able to say that this episode reminds me of how the applicant in this particular Certification Officer case had stuck up for an NEC member who was compelled to attend meetings remotely for several years because the meetings took place in a venue which was not accessible to them. I would like to be able to say that the individual who so courageously mounted this particular challenge had, to my knowledge, a long track record of confronting wrongdoing within the trade union.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I would like to be able to say all of those things. Unfortunately I can’t. (My recently increased dosage of morphine must have led me to hallucinate...)</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In fact, this case has been brought, by someone who was a respected leader of UNISON’s “Ancien Regime”, to try to enforce continued compliance with the (deeply flawed) established “custom and practice” for dealing with internal disciplinary cases (set out in a protocol in 2001 after the - then - new General Secretary had intervened to pull the plug on disciplinary action against your humble blogger).</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">UNISON Rule I.5.3 states that “In any case, the body on whose behalf [a disciplinary] investigation is undertaken shall consider the result of such investigation before deciding whether or not a charge should be brought.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Where that body is the NEC, the NEC therefore needs to </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">consider the result of the investigation.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The NEC protocol elaborates as follows; “The result of the investigation will be reported back to the NEC for consideration of whether or not charges are brought based upon a prima facie case being established. So as not to prejudice any members’ case, the recommendation will be solely based upon a prima facie case being established or not. The report is not made available to the NEC as there is a strong risk of prejudice to the member potentially facing charges under Rule I. This practice has been endorsed by the High Court.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In cases where a prima facie is established, subject to the NEC’s approval, charges will be brought and a disciplinary panel convened in accordance with Schedule D to test the evidence.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Therefore, because disciplinary panels consist of NEC members, it is considered that it would be inappropriate for the NEC, which will include potential members of a future panel, to receive the report of an investigation the result of which the Rules require them to consider. The consideration is (formally) delegated to the relevant Committee Chair (so that, technically, the NEC has considered the result of an investigation the report of which all but one of them have not seen). In practice, the Chair has generally rubber stamped a recommendation from the relevant official. Investigations which do not lead to disciplinary action never make it as far as being reported to the NEC.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">NEC members are permitted to ask questions about disciplinary cases reported to the NEC, but only to ask them in writing and the answers are received only by the individual member asking the question. Therefore, UNISON members being disciplined "by the NEC" are actually being disciplined in circumstances in which most NEC members have no idea what they have accused of, what evidence exists and whether the conduct of the cases is reasonable. This established practice has contributed to expensive and embarrassing errors such as that in <a href="https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/16608/01-05-2013/unison-defend-the-four/"><span class="s1">the case of four activists who were members of the Socialist Party</span></a>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Nevertheless, it is this flawed status quo which the Certification Officer has now ordered must be re-applied in a particular case, in which the NEC in March had voted not to proceed with recommended disciplinary action. The NEC decision in this case was (understandably) criticised because it was taken without the NEC explaining its reasons.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The NEC could not of course explain its reasons since no members of the NEC (bar one) had seen the report upon which the recommendation which they opposed had been based. The Certification Officer decision vindicates the approach of an NEC accepting a recommendation on the basis of the delegated decision of an individual without ever having seen the report of an investigation which the rules require them to consider.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Certification Officer enforcement order means that the NEC will need to reconsider the particular case (and, in so doing, will not really have any choice other than to accept the recommendation put before them however much they may feel that this amounts to an abdication of their responsibility under UNISON Rule I.5.3). The wording of the enforcement order was agreed between UNISON officials and the applicant.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Certification Officer </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-size: large;">enforcement order</span><span style="font-size: large;"> requires that the reconsideration of the case “will be conducted in accordance with fairness and the principles of natural justice, <b>taking into account that the NEC does not see the investigation report</b>.” So that's all quite clear really…</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The way forward in the particular case may be settled.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Whether UNISON should continue with an approach to disciplinary action that has, in the past, often shamed our trade union is another, and much larger, question.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Not that any of this should detract from our admiration for the courage and determination of the applicant before the Certification Officer.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-92231780642687832242022-11-10T21:52:00.005+00:002022-11-10T22:54:11.061+00:00UNISON and the NEU - we need unity<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHceHsVvCoWFxVBLYZHytCIV4Nx9Rfm9wB2FfVCeykLaJ5CDGIlKD4EdFJck1EdHbeGaoz4ZLg-QUsqXAFdZSCQrGPCCMLmOa3GpJGu9JwdAiG54nfVK1XoCSpBX3b6Jl_1gTVr3N9obS15sSIZ2--dB6ZzscPjVKXE9gxj1-EDGQNiJwaAn8/s1792/NEU-UNISON-Email-Header-2878861295.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="1792" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHceHsVvCoWFxVBLYZHytCIV4Nx9Rfm9wB2FfVCeykLaJ5CDGIlKD4EdFJck1EdHbeGaoz4ZLg-QUsqXAFdZSCQrGPCCMLmOa3GpJGu9JwdAiG54nfVK1XoCSpBX3b6Jl_1gTVr3N9obS15sSIZ2--dB6ZzscPjVKXE9gxj1-EDGQNiJwaAn8/s320/NEU-UNISON-Email-Header-2878861295.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">On a day when news is breaking about strike action by </span><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63561305" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">nurses</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">, </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/nov/10/uk-civil-servants-whitehall-frontline-services-vote-strike" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">civil servants</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">, </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/nov/10/uk-train-drivers-24-hour-strike-26-november-aslef" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">rail workers </span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">and </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/nov/10/thousands-of-scottish-teachers-to-strike-on-thursday-24-november" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">Scottish teachers</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">, if you heard that senior officials of two of the four largest trade unions affiliated to the TUC were meeting together under the auspices of the TUC you might think that it was to discuss coordinating action to defend the living standards of their members.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(This would, of course indicate a certain optimism about the attitude of the TUC to its role <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/08/tuc-triumph-of-hopelessness-over.html"><span class="s1">given recent experience</span></a>).</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In fact today's meeting is to discuss a complaint made by UNISON against the National Education Union (NEU) concerning the NEU’s campaigning activity.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The NEU have written to the government to demand increased funding for schools in order to pay for a more substantial pay rise for both teachers and support staff. They have balloted their <a href="https://neu.org.uk/advice/support-staff-pay"><span class="s1">support staff members</span></a>, as well as their teacher members, for support for industrial action in support of this demand.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">UNISON views this conduct as a breach of an agreement, brokered by the TUC, that the NEU would not seek recognition to negotiate on pay and conditions for support staff (the recognise trade unions for which are UNISON, GMB and UNITE).</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The recognised support staff trade unions have, following a consultation exercise organised by branches, accepted the most recent pay offer for local government workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (including school support staff) although this amounts to a real terms pay cut for most members. This follows <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/07/no-room-for-neutrality-in-cost-of.html"><span class="s1">the shameful decision of UNISON's National Joint Council (NJC) Committee</span></a> to refuse to make a recommendation either to accept or reject the offer when consulting members.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Whilst it is obviously embarrassing when someone else starts a campaign to fund a decent pay rise for members whose own union has accepted a real terms pay cut, there is no need for UNISON to view the NEU campaign as a hostile act. Any concession by the Government to the NEU demands would provide funding for a higher pay rise in future years, something with UNISON and the other recognised support staff trade unions should welcome.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunately, UNISON has not taken this view but has written to its branches recommending that UNISON should “temporarily suspend co-operation with the NEU at all levels of the union – National, Regional and Local - where this won’t have a negative impact on UNISON members or bargaining structures.” The Union has gone further, and suggested to branches that they write to schools “asking school employers to support UNISON’s position in relation to the NEU.” </span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Certainly, when I was a UNISON branch secretary I would have filed such a circular in the waste paper bin. Apart from anything else I can't imagine ever having had the time to attend any meetings (with or without representatives from any other trade union) if my absence from that meeting would not have had “a negative impact on UNISON members or bargaining structures”. Whoever drafted the letter which UNISON HQ has sent to its branches they know very little about running a busy UNISON branch!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">UNISON officials may feel that they have a legitimate beef with the NEU and that they should raise this with the TUC, but there really can be no excuse for seeking to involve employers in taking sides in such a dispute between trade unions before that has even been an initial meeting at the TUC. We are all fortunate that the intemperate approach adopted by UNISON officials has so far led to only <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/exclusive-union-wars-threaten-to-derail-co-ordinated-strikes-this-winter_uk_635bb0a8e4b01c1b94e553d0"><span class="s1">limited media coverage</span></a>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Underlying this conflict however is a longer term problem, highlighted on this Blog <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2017/01/unison-and-new-education-union.html"><span class="s1">nearly 6 years ago</span></a>, following the merger between NUT and ATL which created NEU. The NUT did not organise support staff in schools, but the NEU inherited the tradition of doing so from ATL. Six years ago National officials at UNISON HQ were worrying about this and, if any of them are thought that the deal subsequently struck with the TUC was some sort of permanent solution they obviously weren't paying attention.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Someone hasn't updated our website for more than five years since UNISON still<a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/education-services/"><span class="s1"> claims</span></a> to represent “more education staff than any other trade union in the UK” with 350,000 members in education <a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/education-services/about/schools/"><span class="s1">and that</span></a> “UNISON is the largest union in schools, representing over 250,000 members in support staff roles across the UK.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The NEU has a better claim to being the <a href="https://neu.org.uk/about-neu"><span class="s1">largest education union</span></a>, with more than 420,000 members contributing to its general fund in the<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1059380/828T_2021.pdf"><span class="s1"> last official return</span></a>. Whilst the silly willy waving about membership numbers interests only a few bureaucrats in the trade union movement it is beyond embarrassing that UNISON's website continues to make a claim that was true once but hasn't been true for years.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(This embarrassing and long-running untruth told on UNISON's website rather makes the case for effective lay oversight of UNISON communications, something which has not been a feature of our trade union for decades).</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although <a href="https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/104044/09-11-2022/unison-and-neu-for-maximum-unity-not-division/"><span class="s1">Socialist party members active in both unions have seized the opportunity to promote their own particular interests</span></a> by criticising UNISON's complaint to the TUC, they have been offered an open goal by the mistaken approach adopted. Rather than officials of the two unions squabbling, they should be discussing how to coordinate activity to improve the living standards of all our members in schools.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the long run, as I <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2017/01/unison-and-new-education-union.html"><span class="s1">have argued here before</span></a>, it should not be beyond the imagination of our movement to find a way in which school support staff can be members of more than one trade union. We offer this option to <a href="https://www.miphealth.org.uk/home/about-mip/about-mip.aspx"><span class="s1">high paid managers in the health service</span></a> and I can't see why we could not offer it to low paid workers in schools.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the immediate term, the general secretaries of UNISON and the NEU should be discussing how to establish a Confederation of Education Unions to coordinate campaigning and organising across schools, further and higher education. This would provide an established forum to avoid future misunderstandings and promote joint activity.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">UNISON should be supporting the NEU campaign for the government to fund a pay rise in our schools, and the NEU should support the role of the recognised support staff trade unions (albeit now that it is clear that the NEU have more members amongst school support staff than at least one of the recognised unions, the question of recognition will clearly have to be re-visited in the near future).</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There is an opportunity here to take a most unfortunate episode and turn it to the good purpose of bringing our trade unions together in the spirit of an understanding that we are brothers and sisters in the movement and not "competitor trade unions.” It would be lovely to think that the officials of the TUC could bring this about, but I think it falls to leading lay activists in UNISON and the NEU to find a way to put the interest of our class first.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-79216131977949255832022-10-30T19:31:00.003+00:002022-10-31T21:04:31.062+00:00Hypocrisy and Emergency Motion Two at UNISON National Disabled Members' Conference<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqL5JJpr61d5u1kvMtLlr5B5w5W5_d9_n0GofgI-odNK_MDU6y-k-mxvHucE_Hd1aWHWDtNRboAcGDcXp5VaC4x3_oA9xhxQZRsmt35Xd0rJp4jU9pQyvHsB-_8EHUPUjSuqat8l2dzBoMQcuMV4RbL2guf8U3o8pWYs-93vYrJEujj3rVF8k/s2048/FgUt4AoWYAA0bSr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqL5JJpr61d5u1kvMtLlr5B5w5W5_d9_n0GofgI-odNK_MDU6y-k-mxvHucE_Hd1aWHWDtNRboAcGDcXp5VaC4x3_oA9xhxQZRsmt35Xd0rJp4jU9pQyvHsB-_8EHUPUjSuqat8l2dzBoMQcuMV4RbL2guf8U3o8pWYs-93vYrJEujj3rVF8k/s320/FgUt4AoWYAA0bSr.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial;">UNISON’s </span><a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/events/2022-national-disabled-members-conference/" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">National Disabled Members Conference</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial;"> is in Brighton this weekend. As you might imagine, the large number of UNISON activists will be debating </span><a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2022/09/NDMC-2022-Conference-Business-for-Web.pdf" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">numerous motions</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial;"> addressing the interests of our many disabled members (among whom I suppose I should probably now count myself).</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, supporters of UNISON's Ancien Regime have predictably seized the opportunity to try to provoke something of a faction fight. One of the members of the recalcitrant minority on our NEC, and a former President of our trade union,<a href="https://twitter.com/MaureenNEC2021/status/1586725023670304771"><span class="s1"> took to Twitter to express her excitement</span></a> about an emergency motion which had today been admitted to the agenda.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The background to the aptly named emergency motion "Number Two" is that the two NEC members elected to represent the interest of disabled members took the opportunity of being asked to provide content to the <a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2022/10/2022-Disabled-Members-Annual-Report.pdf"><span class="s1">annual report of the National Disabled Members Committee</span></a> to make a series of tendentious observations and allegations against other members of the NEC.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Having myself spent seven terms on UNISON’s NEC as part of a small minority, and being something of an inveterate troublemaker, I recognise a transparent attempt to provoke an overreaction when I read one. I myself was never able to make such criticisms in official UNISON documents, because UNISON officials censored me when I tried to breach what was considered at the time to be the "collective responsibility" of the NEC as a whole. (These days it seems paid officials of our trade union are much more supportive of those making criticisms of the elected leadership of the organisation which employs them.)</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunately for the authors of the ill judged attack upon their fellow NEC members, our President was not drawn into the overreaction for which they had so obviously hoped. In fact, all she did was send an email to her two NEC colleagues complaining to them about the content of the report. Given the President’s responsibility to support and defend the integrity of NEC colleagues, her measured and responsible approach was the very least that she could have done. It certainly wasn’t any sort of unreasonable bullying (and I can say that having been on the receiving end of such bullying when I was on the NEC).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This left those who have been looking for a faction fight in the embarrassing position of having to make a mountain out of a molehill. They had been hoping, having provoked an overreaction by publishing petty and spiteful criticisms of individuals, to be able to launch a "Defend the NEC Two" campaign in order to whip up opposition to the elected leadership of UNISON in the run-up to the forthcoming NEC elections. The measured and mature approach adopted by the President frustrated their achievement of this objective.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hence the National Disabled Members Committee find themselves in the embarrassing, if not slightly ridiculous, position of putting an emergency motion to the National Disabled Members Conference instructing the National Disabled Members Committee (i.e. themselves) to write to the President. This amusing circularity should probably have led to the motion being ruled out of order by the Standing Orders Committee, since if the National Disabled Members Committee really wanted to write to the President they could already have done so.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, although at last year's National Delegate Conference at least one motion from the National Executive Council was ruled out of order on precisely these grounds (that the NEC did not need a Conference decision to take the action called for) it would appear that in today's UNISON, Standing Orders Committees can be surprisingly solicitous of those who wish to make criticisms of the majority of the NEC. Hence the <a href="https://twitter.com/MaureenNEC2021/status/1586725023670304771"><span class="s1">delighted tweet</span></a>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For my part, what is most amusing about this episode is that the individual who is so excited at the opportunity to attack the NEC leadership at a National Self-Organised Group Conference was, in her time, party too far less measured and reasonable responses to criticism and dissent than that which has been exhibited by our current President.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When I was <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2068742/Scab-jibe-workers-crossed-picket-lines-defy-strikers.html"><span class="s1">attacked by the Tory media for calling scabs “scabs”</span></a> after the 2011 pension strike, as a Vice President she was part of the meeting convened by the then General Secretary to criticise me and warn me that the trade union could not defend me if I were attacked by the employer. She joined the collective criticism of me with a vigour and glee very different from the measured approach taken by UNISON's President in 2022.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some 18 months later, when the media once more criticised me for <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/margaret-thatcher/9983179/Unison-members-join-celebrations-of-Baroness-Thatchers-death.html"><span class="s1">publicly celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher,</span></a> the same individual was there when I was called to a meeting is at UNISON HQ with the intention of reprimanding me. I remember her saying that she was disappointed that this was the second time during her term on the Presidential Team that she had had such a conversation with me. Memorably, she went on to say; "I will say now, what I said then. This is the last time.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Two and a half years further on, the same individual (this time in her continuing capacity as a trustee of UNISON) was one of the authors of an email circulated widely throughout UNISON intending to discredit me for having exposed wrongdoing in the Greater London Regional Office during the 2015 General Secretary election.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The email, to which she willingly put her name, suggested that the recording of a staff meeting at which the former Regional Secretary had wantonly broken the rules of the union was somehow inaccurate. The recording was not inaccurate (as UNISON would officially recognise soon thereafter) and the email attacking me was utterly unjustified.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This email would go on to be <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2017/05/rule-book-rogers-demonised-and-exposed.html"><span class="s1">described by the Assistant Certification Officer</span></a> as <i>“quite an extraordinary email”</i> and as <i>“a classic example of an attempt by the victors to write the history (regardless of accuracy) and denigrate those whom they see as their vanquished adversaries.”</i> Needless to say, I'm still waiting for an apology from any of the authors of the unjustified bullying email, including the individual who is this evening drinking to the success of emergency motion two tomorrow at National Disabled Members Conference.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Readers of this blog will, I am sure, understand my appreciating the irony of this individual supporting so enthusiastically a sham emergency motion calling for NEC members to be treated with “respect and dignity" in the light of her treatment of me when I was on the NEC. Our current President, a fine trade unionist, certainly treats NEC members (and, I am sure, UNISON members generally) with far greater "respect and dignity" than this former President ever did.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This emergency motion is indeed "number two".</span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Update 31/10/22. The Conference did not reach the Emergency Motion. The faction-fighters issued a statement trying to resurrect year old arguments but failed to incite the division for which they hoped. It's all gone quiet on twitter...</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-80985502512291463212022-10-16T13:37:00.002+01:002022-10-16T13:37:29.525+01:00Darkness at Steadfast Noon - war games make the case against NATO<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_1_X8F7XZ179sm6tIrgKg8fwAyLxaV2VUMMTpLPV0L20H_UzpXZYrjCdGnjssCWgnGUGlLCEsXiIa_WNP3-ATfna_LEtyHQmXRXk4YUBtMXJ3GunYH0ECrqxYbkQAQSzLzEC74Gn6_M8keF4C2E1UcefkXXzgcoPMc3qG_xvAEFya1zhI5c/s473/nato-placard-e1620220096848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="473" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_1_X8F7XZ179sm6tIrgKg8fwAyLxaV2VUMMTpLPV0L20H_UzpXZYrjCdGnjssCWgnGUGlLCEsXiIa_WNP3-ATfna_LEtyHQmXRXk4YUBtMXJ3GunYH0ECrqxYbkQAQSzLzEC74Gn6_M8keF4C2E1UcefkXXzgcoPMc3qG_xvAEFya1zhI5c/s320/nato-placard-e1620220096848.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #110c2c; font-family: Arial; text-align: left;">In Belgium this week </span><a href="https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2022/10/13/nato-nuclear-exercise-in-belgium-next-week/" style="font-family: Arial; text-align: left;"><span class="s1">NATO will be testing and exercising its procedures with regard to the dropping of nuclear bombs</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #110c2c; font-family: Arial; text-align: left;">. Fighter-jets from at least ten NATO nations will carry out flights and exercises from the air force base at Kleine Brogel in Limburg. The exercise, titled "Steadfast Noon" is intended to familiarise pilots and crews with the techniques involved in the possible use of nuclear weapons. </span></div></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The <a href="https://www.icanw.org/why_condemn_threats_to_use_nuclear_weapons"><span class="s1">International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) have recently, and rightly, pointed out</span></a> that Russia’s recent threats to use nuclear weapons in the context of the war in Ukraine have heightened tensions, reduced the threshold for use of nuclear weapons, and greatly increased the risk of nuclear conflict and global catastrophe. ICAN correctly identify that the correct response to these irresponsible criminal threats is to do everything possible to delegitimise the threatened use of nuclear weapons.</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This approach - of delegitimisation - was exemplified by the statement adopted this summer by the States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) when <a href="https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N22/434/57/PDF/N2243457.pdf?OpenElement"><span class="s1">they said that</span></a>; “We are alarmed and dismayed by threats to use nuclear weapons and increasingly strident nuclear rhetoric. We stress that any use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is a violation of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations. We condemn unequivocally any and all nuclear threats, whether they be explicit or implicit and irrespective of the circumstances.”</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">ICAN <a href="https://www.icanw.org/entry_into_force_briefing_paper"><span class="s1">have pointed out </span></a>that the coming into force of TPNW has rendered nuclear weapons illegal under international law - like biological and chemical weapons, antipersonnel landmines and cluster munitions. NATO however has <a href="https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_180087.htm"><span class="s1">set its face against international law</span></a> and and the wider global community by its opposition to TPNW. NATO opposes “any attempt to delegitimise nuclear deterrence” (that is to say that NATO opposes attempts to delegitimise a military doctrine based upon the threatened use of nuclear weapons).</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When I was a teenage peace activist (often advised to "go back to Moscow" by reactionaries opposed to our peace protests) we were told that NATO was a purely defensive alliance established, in 1949, to "protect us" from an aggressive, expansionist Soviet Union and its allies. When the Cold War came to an end it turned out that the military/industrial establishment in the United States and Western Europe still had a use for NATO as what has been described, <a href="https://cnduk.org/campaigns/no-to-nato/"><span class="s1">by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament</span></a>, (CND) as “an ever-expanding interventionist bloc, operating on a global scale.”</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We were told lies about the justification for the existence of NATO during the Cold War and today we are told new lies, that NATO supports an “international rules-based order” (almost as if the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq had been in accordance with international law and had promoted global peace and harmony…) NATO <a href="https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_180087.htm"><span class="s1">states quite plainly</span></a> that “as long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance.” Therefore, as long as NATO exists, the goal of universal nuclear disarmament will be forever out of reach. NATO institutionalises and perpetuates an eternal nuclear arms race.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The war games being played in Belgium this week are a chilling reminder of the <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/08/1123752"><span class="s1">consequences for humanity</span></a> if and when the military doctrine which relies upon the threatened use of nuclear weapons leads to that use (as one day it will). If we want to avoid these consequences we need to replace the institutional architecture which embeds nuclear weapons as a permanent feature of international relations - and that must mean (as I have <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/01/dont-be-fooled-west-is-not-lesser-evil.html"><span class="s1">argued here before</span></a>) opposition to NATO.</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Socialists, trade unionists, and Labour Party members need to oppose the ill-founded <a href="https://labourlist.org/2022/05/starmer-says-he-would-take-action-against-mps-challenging-nato-support/"><span class="s1">attachment to NATO expressed by the Party leadership</span></a>. As long as this country remains a member of NATO we are trapped in a system which forever creates and recreates a perpetual risk of nuclear war.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-77603815659223062362022-10-15T19:46:00.001+01:002022-10-15T20:01:45.953+01:00The continuing shame of Labour racism<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWAqc2kWh7vTkNJ8mH40YmN3kqyiXP9Ky6NFU05x1-7x9yepdxxsubc9N8XQ5u0rvQQ0XDZO9kGnN6vOcAsBdKQE2CBPRt7lcGRbu07cGgPnjaP6v_H75SrCDs7E3gu7A1wTH_S_MRUKrA7KFHetAsOV66wI-1IGC4NJxYOQzIf0keN5I-3U/s474/th-3396841526.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="474" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWAqc2kWh7vTkNJ8mH40YmN3kqyiXP9Ky6NFU05x1-7x9yepdxxsubc9N8XQ5u0rvQQ0XDZO9kGnN6vOcAsBdKQE2CBPRt7lcGRbu07cGgPnjaP6v_H75SrCDs7E3gu7A1wTH_S_MRUKrA7KFHetAsOV66wI-1IGC4NJxYOQzIf0keN5I-3U/s320/th-3396841526.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">As a Labour movement activist in Lambeth in the late 80s, I remember the controversy around the party's shameful refusal to permit a Black candidate to contest the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Vauxhall_by-election" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">Vauxhall by-election in 1989</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">. This condemned the electorate of a safe Labour seat in the centre of London to three decades of representation by a Member of Parliament noted for her support for foxhunting, Ulster Unionism and Brexit.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Given our “first past the post” electoral system and the two-party system which exists in symbiosis with it, the selection of Labour’s candidate in some inner-city constituencies, many of which have large Black and ethnic minority populations, is - in effect - the selection of the next member of Parliament for that constituency.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The <a href="https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2022/10/15/uproar-as-labour-block-activist-from-standing-for-parliament/"><span class="s1">exclusion of Maurice Mcleod </span></a>from the long list for selection as Labour’s candidate for Camberwell and Peckham at the next general election echoes the racist arrogance shown by the Party in Vauxhall in 1989. In spite of the alarming findings of the Forde report concerning <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/09/racism-in-labour-party.html"><span class="s1">racism in the Labour Party</span></a>, the party has made <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/09/sorry-not-sorry-labour-responds-to.html"><span class="s1">no real acknowledgement of or apology</span></a> for this disgraceful situation. This is not a state of affairs which should be acceptable to any socialist, trade unionist or anti-racist.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Labour Party members must not permit our burning desire to see an end to the Tory government to gag us from criticising unacceptable, undemocratic and racist conduct within our Party. There will be those, disgusted at the conduct of the Party leadership and officialdom who will leave Labour, but they will be less well placed to resist those who have angered them when they do. Those of us who are angry at what is happening in today's Labour Party need to recognise that we are part of a long struggle and that we are not presently in a strong position.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With the Tory government imploding, it is clear that the Party leadership, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/oct/15/keir-starmer-criticises-grotesque-chaos-under-liz-truss-government"><span class="s1">justifiably increasingly confident of victory at the next General Election</span></a>, feel no need to appease or compromise with left-wing members in the rank-and-file of the organisation (or, for that matter, elsewhere).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Knowing that voters who want to see the back of the Tories will, in the great majority of cases, have no choice but to vote Labour, Starmer and his supporters feel no need to take into account the views and aspirations of voters in safe Labour seats.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There may be no immediate prospect of there being any viable national electoral alternative to Labour for progressive voters (for all that <a href="https://resistmovement.org.uk/steering-group/"><span class="s1">those with little understanding</span></a> of Labour history may, <a href="https://leftunity.org/"><span class="s1">time and again</span></a>, pursue this chimera). However, in the longer term, the experience of the so-called "red wall" seats in 2019 shows that if our party takes its core supporters for granted for too long it will find that they are no longer its core supporters.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There were certainly exceptional factors at play in the <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/by-election-victory-for-the-conservatives-in-leicester-as-labour-trails-in-third-place/ar-AA12XOBz"><span class="s1">North Evington by-election in Leicester</span></a> this week, but the result clearly demonstrates that there is nothing inevitable about Black and ethnic minority voters in the inner-city supporting Labour. Disgraceful recent attacks upon party democracy in Newham (as exposed by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-cHBQf5z_M"><span class="s1">Al Jazeera</span></a>) and <a href="https://labouroutlook.org/2022/10/05/politically-motivated-exclusion-of-delegates-from-labour-party-conference-2022-joint-statement/"><span class="s1">Haringey</span></a> could easily see those boroughs follow Tower Hamlets away from Labour control.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Socialists in the Labour Party need to continue to work for a Labour Party which is worthy of the support it receives, including from Black and ethnic minority voters, and which will therefore continue to command such support. In such a party ordinary members would have the option to vote to support representatives such as <a href="https://twitter.com/mowords/status/1581265838253830145"><span class="s1">Maurice Mcleod</span></a>.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-70081038611305243202022-10-01T14:53:00.002+01:002022-10-01T15:24:43.788+01:00Class struggle and the next Labour Government<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1iDQnozCHdL61czY56zrD6ILN_1GtWFjYRe2jDvisO0mvljAVYdm6Yqk-xCYsELQNsqqTemNKeZQuEMJf-jn07SUtvYvx3YDBmUcEIGnRkzs2mHbaeZIKZv9XbMy3hYNzq2w3TUk82zY5Ty6MPt7IEW76U80Ek0-eoXYX4s4afN-mWBnfzE/s600/RM-Caerphilly-600x315.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1iDQnozCHdL61czY56zrD6ILN_1GtWFjYRe2jDvisO0mvljAVYdm6Yqk-xCYsELQNsqqTemNKeZQuEMJf-jn07SUtvYvx3YDBmUcEIGnRkzs2mHbaeZIKZv9XbMy3hYNzq2w3TUk82zY5Ty6MPt7IEW76U80Ek0-eoXYX4s4afN-mWBnfzE/s320/RM-Caerphilly-600x315.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">The Labour Party is enjoying </span><a href="https://labourlist.org/2022/09/labour-enjoys-a-post-conference-lead-in-the-polls-not-seen-since-the-late-1990s/" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">a lead in the opinion polls</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> which is unprecedented this century. Whilst strong supporters of the current leadership will see this as the product of what was, in their terms, a successful Party Conference, it seems more likely that the </span><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/4e6b89a3-a63e-49df-8a04-0488b69e84f5" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">economic chaos created by the Truss government</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> is at least as important.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Opinion polls have put Labour <a href="https://www.politico.eu/europe-poll-of-polls/united-kingdom/"><span class="s1">consistently ahead of the Tories this year</span></a>. This is a significant improvement on this time last year when Johnson's Government were ahead of the opposition in the polls, and the latest poll gives us the largest lead we have had since the 1990s. However, we do not (yet) have a long-term consistent lead in the polls such as preceded previous occasions when we ousted a Tory government.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Last time Labour kicked the Tories out of government, winning a significant majority, our position in the polls had been even more impressive. From <a href="https://ukpollingreport.co.uk/historical-polls/voting-intention-1992-1997"><span class="s1">1993 until the 1997 election Labour was ahead in the polls consistently over a period of four years</span></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A generation before, in the run-up to Harold Wilson's victory in 1964 the Tories had not been ahead in the polls <a href="https://www.markpack.org.uk/files/2022/07/PollBase-Q2-2022.xlsx"><span class="s1">for three years</span></a> from mid 1961 until the period of the election campaign itself when they closed the gap considerably (so that Wilson achieved a tiny majority and had to call a further election in 1966)(credit to <a href="https://www.markpack.org.uk/opinion-polls/"><span class="s1">Mark Pack</span></a> for this historical data).</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It is received Westminster wisdom that Oppositions do not win General Elections, Governments lose them. The received wisdom is not always wrong. In particular the political history of the UK since the Second World War suggests that Labour Oppositions do not win General Elections, Tory Governments lose them.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As <a href="https://newleftreview.org/issues/i219/articles/david-coates-labour-governments-old-constraints-and-new-parameters"><span class="s1">David Coates wrote</span></a> in the run-up to 1997;”In electoral terms, it is striking how much assistance from external events and forces the Labour Party has always needed to create an electoral bloc sufficiently substantial to give it parliamentary power. It is also striking just how quickly that bloc has then eroded. After all, it took two world wars and a massive capitalist depression to wean sufficiently large numbers of UK workers away from an electoral loyalty to Liberalism and Conservatism, to give Labour its first (and still its largest) parliamentary majority in 1945. It then took another thirteen years of Conservative mismanagement and anachronistic fustiness to enable Harold Wilson fleetingly to reconstitute the width of that electoral bloc in 1966; and in neither instance did Labour manage to retain over the long term the majority it had so gratuitously won.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For in each case Labour was largely the passive recipient of electoral swings. Its own politics never normally possessed sufficient magnetic force to redraw the shape of electoral Britain by the power of its own programme and possibilities alone. The forces shaping that electoral map were largely external to Labour and beyond its control. They came (and the Labour Party flourished); they went (and the Labour Party was unable to prevent their going). It is true, of course, that the Labour Party did slowly build up its core vote by its own organizational and ideological efforts: defeating the Communist Party for the loyalty (by 1945) of the majority of unionized workers. But its capacity as a party to sweep up the bulk of the unorganized working class (in 1945) and of the new white collar and managerial strata in the private sector (in 1966), was largely not of its doing.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Something similar was already happening when David Coates wrote those words. Following "Black Wednesday" in 1992, the Tory Party lost and did not regain its fabled reputation for "economic competence” (a trick which Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d5f1d564-8c08-4711-b11d-9c6c7759f2b8?segmentId=3f81fe28-ba5d-8a93-616e-4859191fabd8">may just have repeated</a> a generation later). John Major's Government then became mired in scandal and division.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Had he lived, John Smith would have led Labour to victory in the 1997 General Election, but as it was it fell to Tony Blair to benefit from the re-creation of the electoral bloc which had put Labour into Government in 1945 and 1966 (although with a lower share of the popular vote then either Clement Attlee or Harold Wilson had achieved).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“New” Labour subsequently benefited both from relatively favourable economic circumstances (prior to the crash of 2008) and from the parlous state of the Conservative party as it worked through its divisions over Europe that would eventually lead to Brexit. Although Labour lost votes in 2001 and, even more so, in 2005, the Tories were not able to overtake us.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These factors together meant that the government which was elected in 1997 lasted longer than its predecessors that had come into office in the 1940s and 1960s. However, the achievements of Labour in office between 1997 and 2010 did nothing to invalidate the cautionary observation made by David Coates in 1996; "We need to remember how regularly hopes have been created only to be dashed, promises made only to be broken, agendas set never to be sustained. We need to remember how previous generations of Labour politicians—both in opposition and in power—tended to fall short of even the most modest aims of the people sustaining them; and we need to contemplate at least the possibility that a Blair-led Labour government will disappoint its supporters in a similar way. Amid the understandable pleasure, for many on the Left, at the prospect of a Conservative electoral defeat at last, we need to keep a very tight grip on any creeping sense of euphoria.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Given our recent experience of the brutal sabotage of the Corbyn leadership of our Party and the subsequent witch hunt of socialists under the current leadership (as recently exposed by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-cHBQf5z_M"><span class="s1">Al Jazeera</span></a>), many left wingers will find it<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>much easier to avoid a “creeping sense of euphoria" than we did in the mid 90s. Once again, the Labour Party can only approach Government having been sanitised and made fit to manage British capitalism.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I find myself increasingly reminded of an experience whilst out canvassing in the 97 general election campaign. One of the many right-wingers who were by then dominant in Lewisham's Labour Party asked me what I was doing campaigning when they knew I didn't support Tony Blair. I said that it was true that I did not support Tony Blair and that indeed I knew that if Tony Blair became Prime Minister the country would likely get worse. However, I pointed out that if John Major remained Prime Minister the country would get a lot worse a lot faster. I still think I was right on both counts. As they say, the worst day under a Labour Government is always better than the best day under a Tory Government.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunately, because Labour’s victories are always fundamentally Tory defeats, we have repeatedly ended up with Labour Governments which inherit problems from their Conservative predecessors (and confront the inevitable contradictions of a capitalist economy) for which they are eventually<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>themselves blamed, paving the way for a return to the UK’s political default setting, which is a Conservative Government.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Had we been able to create the mass Labour Party rooted in working-class communities, of which some of us caught a distant glimpse in the period after 2015, we might have been able to win on the basis of the sort of radical transformative policies which proved so popular in 2017. In the absence of such a vibrant extra-parliamentary power base, no Labour Government can do more than ameliorate the worst of inequality and oppression (and, indeed, we will be lucky if it does as much as that).</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The campaigning and strike action which is happening up and down the country today in opposition to the current Tory government will need to continue up to and beyond the next General Election, regardless of the outcome of that election. Our standard of living, our employment rights and our public services are under attack. These attacks may reduce under a Starmer (or post-Starmer) government but we would be naive to imagine that they will cease.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Trade unionists and socialists (including, crucially, the many thousands of socialists inside the Labour Party) need to focus our attention upon defending our class, now and in the future, from the war being waged upon us by our adversaries. When the General Election comes, there will be sitting socialist MPs (if not many new socialist candidates) to campaign for, but before and after that there will be struggles which need to be supported.</span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We have been here before. We may very well be here again. As Tony Benn said; "There is no final victory, as there is no final defeat. There is just the same battle. To be fought, over and over again.”</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-65743307759383579492022-09-25T17:48:00.001+01:002022-09-27T23:22:52.900+01:00Sorry? Not sorry? Labour responds to Forde allegation 6...<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDEkfK-U9NW66WLydSKDE1bYhgcgCqxlO95e39LPvLP5b2ocA6u_QpUXxFb6kAiSa_PkveCjBMuGZIOsGQvf0f5vwd2GnOGKXFdCXEsFH8UysJdj-nv6LyAJZWEv9DkyJtw4yOc_rSo8DlkWfwBKZWe8euiaZ6fE-cM-QxhhWfOqJtNPjDGA/s970/k-bigpic-2418477574.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="970" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDEkfK-U9NW66WLydSKDE1bYhgcgCqxlO95e39LPvLP5b2ocA6u_QpUXxFb6kAiSa_PkveCjBMuGZIOsGQvf0f5vwd2GnOGKXFdCXEsFH8UysJdj-nv6LyAJZWEv9DkyJtw4yOc_rSo8DlkWfwBKZWe8euiaZ6fE-cM-QxhhWfOqJtNPjDGA/s320/k-bigpic-2418477574.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>On the day that Black members of the Labour Party were due to hold a protest outside Conference this afternoon about the failure of the Party to acknowledge the findings of the </span><a href="https://www.fordeinquiry.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/The-Forde-Report.pdf" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">Forde report</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> in respect of </span><a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/09/racism-in-labour-party.html" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">allegations six</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">, the Party finally </span><a href="https://labour.org.uk/fordereport/" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">published online an apology</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> from our National Executive Committee (NEC).</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The first sentence of the apology sums it up really well; "The Labour Party apologises for the culture and attitudes expressed by senior staff in the leaked report, as well as for the way in which those comments came to light.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In other words; "we are sorry that some of our senior staff were comfortable expressing vile racist and sexist views to each other, and we are also sorry that one or more of them were so stupid as to ensure that these would be recorded within the Party and subsequently leaked” (or, more simply still; "we are sorry we were so badly wrong and we are sorry we got caught”).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The NEC go on to say; "The Labour Party is committed to ensuring that such a situation will not arise again and that any racist and discriminatory attitudes will be tackled immediately, wherever they arise, in whatever section of the party.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Likewise in his own statement the General Secretary, David Evans (who has <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2020/11/good-evans-whatever-is-going-on.html"><span class="s1">previously featured </span></a>on this blog), states that; "I also want to offer a commitment to you and all other members that such a situation will not arise again and that we will tackle racist and discriminatory attitudes wherever they arise in whatever section of the Party.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Even the Leader of the Party gets in on the act, saying; "I want to work with all those effected to drive this work through our party and ensure this never happens again.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As a loyal Labour Party member I want to believe these protestations and, had the apology been forthcoming promptly when the report was published more than two months ago, I might have done so.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, my own experience, since the publication of the Forde report, does not encourage me to put much faith in these words.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The General Secretary says now that; "we will tackle racist and discriminatory attitudes wherever they arise” but one of his senior subordinates (a national officer of the Labour Party acting under the NEC’s delegated powers) responded earlier this month to a well-founded expression of concern about racism by demanding that his correspondent; “withdraw, and apologise for, the most ridiculous assertion.” </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I see no evidence of a positive change in the culture which is so justly criticised in the Forde report.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Update on 27 September - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-cHBQf5z_M</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Watch that and weep</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-66387624206468366172022-09-24T19:40:00.002+01:002022-09-24T19:40:26.539+01:00Democracy and the rights of members in the Party and the trade unions<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLon7mnkNsBTmepUwlt-IEdsKr4vk68B8FpOKXZKGzYmifIyD_7YHMA_Oye1h5OtRGOiXP9EkMDDnXR045isMHzdHRwPFKNInBvPHCfBd7l7DLCXpxhLYvX-FKf9d8HUbvV1XupzAdpawsxdSV_YdXBkBmmn5V-vZYV_jpMBn34fYp9d8pPw/s1200/pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLon7mnkNsBTmepUwlt-IEdsKr4vk68B8FpOKXZKGzYmifIyD_7YHMA_Oye1h5OtRGOiXP9EkMDDnXR045isMHzdHRwPFKNInBvPHCfBd7l7DLCXpxhLYvX-FKf9d8HUbvV1XupzAdpawsxdSV_YdXBkBmmn5V-vZYV_jpMBn34fYp9d8pPw/s320/pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>I can thoroughly recommend Al Jazeera’s "The Labour Files" the first episode of which is now </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elp18OvnNV0" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">available online</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Having lived through what happened in Brighton and Hove Labour Party over recent years, I can vouch for the honesty and integrity of many of the local witnesses interviewed as part of the documentary, which explores the war being fought against socialist within our Party. I also have well-founded and firm opinions about some of the liars and bullies exposed in the programme.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I shall watch the remaining two episodes (being screened tonight and on Monday evening) and may well have more to say thereafter. The first episode, however, has been more than enough to get me thinking about the problem of confronting a rampant reactionary bureaucracy in the mass party of the working-class, and about the similarities and differences with similar confrontations in the trade union movement (with which, as regular readers of this blog (Sid and Doris Blogger) will be well aware, I have a reasonable amount of experience).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Having a bureaucracy of paid employees which does the bidding of a right-wing leadership to constrain or eliminate left-wing critics is not a phenomenon exclusive to the Labour Party. I have <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/03/democracy-in-unison.html"><span class="s1">written extensively</span></a> on this Blog over the years about the struggle for democracy within the trade unions, both with reference to the <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-century-on-we-need-to-learn-lessons.html"><span class="s1">history of the movement</span></a> and to <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2012/02/unappealing_22.html"><span class="s1">contemporary struggles</span></a> within UNISON <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2013/02/why-we-need-rank-and-file-organisation_8.html"><span class="s1">throughout my working life</span></a>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The resources available to a trade union bureaucracy (pro rata to the size of membership of the organisation) are greater than those available to the Labour Party (because the average trade union subscription is considerably higher than the cost of party membership). With those resources, I have witnessed what can be done to <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2010/02/unison-should-stop-attacking-our-own_17.html"><span class="s1">witchhunt socialist activists</span></a> from the trade union.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, the trade union bureaucracy, in spite of its relatively greater resources, is in a weaker position confronting its own rank-and-file than is the bureaucracy of the Labour Party. In UNISON the expulsion of a handful of activists caused great conflict and, on each occasion, the leadership eventually backed down. In today's Labour Party, hundreds - if not thousands - of members have had their membership terminated with remarkably little resistance.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The proximate explanation for this difference is the difference between the rules of the two organisations. In UNISON a member can only be disciplined in accordance with <a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2022/08/26888.pdf"><span class="s1">rules</span></a> which protect the right to hearing and which provide that any sanction only takes effect once rights of appeal had been exhausted. In the <a href="https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Rule-Book-2022-a.pdf"><span class="s1">Labour Party</span></a> now, a member can find their membership terminated on the basis of an allegation which they receive in writing and to which they may only make a written response. Although they have a right of appeal, their membership remains terminated pending such an appeal - so a Labour Party member can be thrown out of the Party (regardless of the length of their membership or their record of commitment to the organisation) without any right to hearing or to challenge in person the evidence against them.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, the difference between the rules of the two organisations simply reflects differences in the context within which they operate. In UNISON, the rules of the trade union can only be amended following a 2/3 majority vote at Conference on a proposal admitted to the agenda months in advance. Submissions to the conference by the National Executive Council (NEC) have no privileged position above those from branches or other UNISON bodies.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the Labour Party, whilst proposals from Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) to amend the rules must now (once more) be submitted a full year in advance, the National Executive Committee (NEC) can, and does, submit rule amendments with almost no notice (which can get through providing the trade union delegations have been squared).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If the difference between the rules of the two organisations reflect the differing levels of democracy in their structures, the structures themselves reflect the different material balance of forces between the organisational machine and the rank and file membership in each case.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ironically, an important part of the explanation for the different structures of the trade union and the party is provided by the framework of anti-trade union legislation put in place since the 1980s.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A trade union member experiencing injustice as a result of a breach of the rules of the trade union has the option of complaining to the Certification Officer (without cost). A trade union member who is discriminated against by their trade union can bring a complaint to an employment tribunal (at minimal cost).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The only legal recourse available to an individual member of the Labour Party<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>facing unjust treatment from the Party is to go to court, incurring considerable expense up front and risking an award of costs if they lose (to rub salt into the wound one of the things for which your party membership may be terminated without a hearing is if you fail to pay costs which a court orders you to pay to the Party!)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Whilst this difference in legal context is significant (and I myself have <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2017/05/unison-certification-officer-decision.html"><span class="s1">taken advantage of it in the past</span></a>) a more important difference is provided by the underlying material reality of the two organisations in question.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The rank-and-file activists of a trade union are continuously in a three-way relationship with their own officials and with the employers with whom they bargain and negotiate. Their power in each of these relationships is founded upon the effectiveness of their organisation at workplace level (and therefore their most important relationship, which is with the workers they represent).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Strong workplace organisation constrains the ability of union officials to control local activists and can compel employers to a constructive relationship with local activists, even against union officials. <a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/an-obscure-footnote-in-trade-union-history"><span class="s1">My experience</span></a> was always that my employer treated me as a local union activist with more respect than hostile officials of my own trade union and that, unable to secure support from the employer, the hostile officials backed off time and again.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Local Labour Party activists have no similar corresponding material power base to act as a counterweight to the power of the organisation. Perhaps we would have if our local Labour Parties were genuine mass organisations rooted in our local working-class communities, but they are not (and <a href="https://newleftreview.org/issues/i219/articles/david-coates-labour-governments-old-constraints-and-new-parameters"><span class="s1">never have been</span></a>). Therefore a bureaucracy which is less well resourced, and generally less experienced and less capable, than the bureaucracy of a trade union is nevertheless able to wield much greater power over the membership within the Labour Party.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The question which arises is, of course, the only question which ever really arises; "<a href="https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1901/witbd/index.htm"><span class="s1">what is to be done?</span></a>" Your humble blogger doesn't pretend for one minute to have a certain answer to this question. However, having considered the different balance of forces between rank-and-file democracy and bureaucratic autocracy between the industrial and political wings of our movement it seems to me that we need to find a way to build out from areas of relative strength to areas of relative weakness.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the heart of <a href="https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/newspape/isj2/2011/isj2-129/blackledge.html"><span class="s1">Labourism</span></a>, the distinctively British variant of social democracy, has been a "division of labour" between the political and industrial wings of the movement, as part of which the leadership of the trade unions have generally ensured that the role of the affiliated organisations within the Party has been to provide ballast for the leadership. We need to depart decisively from this tradition.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The trade unions need to become campaigners for democracy and the rights of members within the Labour Party. Trade union activists need to find ways to control our Labour Party intervention so that it is used to encourage democracy and not to prop up the leadership. A small first step, which I understand has already been taken by UNITE, would be to provide representation and assistance to union members who are being victimised or disciplined as members within the Labour Party.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-40937820250616376502022-09-10T11:20:00.001+01:002022-09-10T11:20:40.559+01:00Serfs you are and serfs you shall remain<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiMHtRLe4uQGay4GvshOvQCLX7F33vgDB3JuZLUhiuQaeuoDlHJtbP_YxmZPUDhHg8Ldc5jHUr_tV3SsBGI871EJy-TFk89x4yMzXkaM0Q94YdrszzIkpIhtrs17HkL_DGzzMZN-wK66pagXdAIsxKIQMzf38vBLc6EG0tXeZvW1GsoKp2-Q/s474/th-31915818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="474" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiMHtRLe4uQGay4GvshOvQCLX7F33vgDB3JuZLUhiuQaeuoDlHJtbP_YxmZPUDhHg8Ldc5jHUr_tV3SsBGI871EJy-TFk89x4yMzXkaM0Q94YdrszzIkpIhtrs17HkL_DGzzMZN-wK66pagXdAIsxKIQMzf38vBLc6EG0tXeZvW1GsoKp2-Q/s320/th-31915818.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />A little over 40 years ago, to mark the 600th anniversary of the Peasant’s Revolt, the great socialist journalist Paul Foot <a href="https://www.marxists.org/archive/foot-paul/1981/06/1381.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">wrote a very interesting article</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Foot explained how it was that a peasant army which had arrived in London and achieved its target of killing various of the King's most hated advisers was defeated although its adversaries lacked the military force to inflict such a defeat;</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">“Pretending that they wanted new talks with Tyler’s army, the king and a large gang of courtiers went to Smithfield. They insisted that Tyler come alone at least a mile from his army and talk to the king’s men about his demands and whether the army would disband. Tyler, still, trusting the king, came, alone, on his horse, and engaged in absurd negotiaions for a few moments. It’s not exactly known what happened. Somebody shouted out some insulting remark. Tyler drew his dagger. Five people jumped on him, stabbed him, and he fell dying to the ground.</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Then the king, alone, went to the peasant army and explained that there had been an accident, a mistake. We don’t know exactly what he said to them, but he managed to persuade them that their demands would be met full, indeed had been met in full, and that it was a terrible thing that their leader had been killed. He led them out of the city.</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">That moment is the climax of the revolt, which begins to falter from there. The confidence of those peasant armies depended on their success, and now the success has stopped.</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>It’s difficult even to imagine, in those circumstances, how they could have conceded to King Richard as they did. </i><b><i>The only explanation lies in the tremendous power which the royal presence had at that time over the common people.</i></b><i>”</i></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(I have added the emphasis to that last sentence for reasons which regular readers of his blog, Sid and Doris Blogger, will already have guessed).</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When, subsequently, some messengers from the peasant army got through to the court to remind the young King of what he had said to his people, he said to have replied as follows;</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">‘Serfs you have been and serfs you shall remain in bondage, not such as you have hitherto been subjected to, but incomparably viler. For so long as we live and rule by God’s grace over this kingdom we shall use our strength, sense and property to treat you that your slavery may be an example to posterity and that those who live now and hereafter, who may be like you, may always have before their eyes, as it were in a glass, your misery and reasons for cursing you and the fear of doing things like those which you have done.’</span></i></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I don't suppose that any of the leaders of today's workers movement in this country expect their names will still be known and honoured in 640 years as are the names of Wat Tyler and John Ball. I think we would all hope, however, that we have learned something in the last six and a half centuries and that we would not repeat the mistakes of the past.</span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am not, for one moment, comparing the embryonic strike wave of the past weeks with the events of 1381 which shook England’s feudal ruling class to its core. However, bearing in mind the <a href="https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-postpones-annual-congress"><span class="s1">decision to postpone TUC Congress</span></a>, and the decisions to <a href="https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-reaction-to-the-death-of-queen-elizabeth-ii/"><span class="s1">suspend<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></a> strike action by <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62827929"><span class="s1">various trade unions</span></a>, as well as the instruction to local Labour parties not only that we should cease campaigning, but that we may not even meet for the time being, I wonder whether we are entitled to feel that we have moved an inch forward from the position of our predecessors in 1381, so sadly seduced and betrayed because of their feelings about royalty.</span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I can understand why, in the moment, those charged with making such decisions may have concluded that strike action in the immediate aftermath of the death of a hereditary monarch might be unpopular even with many of those who might be called upon to take such action. Those having that decision in front of them will have to have taken into account; <i>"the tremendous power which the royal presence </i>[or perhaps absence]<i> has at this time over the common people.”</i></span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Nevertheless it is a foolish and shamed Labour movement which ceases its activities to defend our people because an old woman living at the apex of our anachronistic class society has died at the end of a long life of comfort and privilege.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There may not be that many today who will join this blogger in saying quite honestly that I did not respect the former monarch in life and I'm not such a hypocrite as to feign respect for her in death. Nor will a majority say of the new King Charles III that he has no legitimacy as a head of state, not being elected by or accountable to the residents within any of the areas he claims as his realms. Sometimes one just has to be prepared to paddle against the tide.</span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Those such as Trevor Sinclair,<a href="https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/trevor-sinclair-facing-calls-to-be-sacked-after-e2-80-98disgusting-e2-80-99-tweet-after-death-of-queen/ar-AA11E454"><span class="s1"> the sports commentator who observed, in response to the death of the former monarch, that this is a racist society,</span></a> will be driven into apologies by the online equivalent of an 18th-century <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4285276"><span class="s1">"Church and King mob"</span></a>. At the very point in time when it is most relevant to question the absurdity of a hereditary head of state in what purports to be an advanced democracy in the 21st-century, any attempt to ask such questions will be silenced with the demand for respect for a nation in mourning.</span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope that witnessing the damage which the cult of monarchy and its visceral appeal to "national unity” can do to our class will now awaken activists in the Party and trade unions to the need to take up cudgels in the cause of republicanism. Even self-professed revolutionaries in our ranks rarely prioritise attacking the absurdity of hereditary monarchy, both because it seems less urgent than the next strike or demonstration, and because it is much harder to win the argument for republicanism then it is to win the argument for strike action for higher pay, or to protest against racism.</span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am proud to be chair of a Constituency Labour Party which has expressed its support for <a href="https://labourforarepublic.org.uk/"><span class="s1">Labour for a Republic</span></a>. I hope that socialist trade unionists who, like me, have looked on aghast as our movement falters at the very moment when it was beginning, for the first time in years, to seem relevant and effective, will now take the argument for republicanism up through their trade branches to conferences and ultimately to the TUC and (for affiliated unions) to Party conference.</span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This will be a long fight and a difficult one. It will go through all the phases <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2014/03/tony-benn-1925-2014-ten-his-greatest-quotes"><span class="s1">identified by Tony Benn</span></a>; <i>“First they ignore you, then they say you're mad, then dangerous, then there's a pause and then you can't find anyone who disagrees with you.” </i>My life expectancy probably won't see me beyond the first stage, but unless socialists within our movement commit themselves to embarking upon this journey our movement will never be fit to free our people.</span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our class can never develop a hegemonic consciousness of and for ourselves whilst we are trapped beneath the nightmarish weight of the traditions of the past venerated by our rulers and oppressors.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-92088981917560629612022-09-04T19:16:00.001+01:002022-09-04T19:16:34.106+01:00Racism in the Labour Party<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJYPY6mMIBWFBZtB8DLUKbj-Qsy2D4S_aOXf3dWK1YqA4288dxzptAYHQyyVVdQR3zIuJQdwHwjD-vEYjfiNl8YuwuAcnNyDP-TsQcKS9ZvCKluGUrLxB9mDsKFnLgrCHPnYC9-uJRDGk0-dSrxPxx91VRv8QgKPVBySvuNujBP0DBZSEg2U/s999/FaRkJcSWIAA_qPX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJYPY6mMIBWFBZtB8DLUKbj-Qsy2D4S_aOXf3dWK1YqA4288dxzptAYHQyyVVdQR3zIuJQdwHwjD-vEYjfiNl8YuwuAcnNyDP-TsQcKS9ZvCKluGUrLxB9mDsKFnLgrCHPnYC9-uJRDGk0-dSrxPxx91VRv8QgKPVBySvuNujBP0DBZSEg2U/s320/FaRkJcSWIAA_qPX.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The </span><a href="https://www.fordeinquiry.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/The-Forde-Report.pdf" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">Forde report </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">may have been all but ignored by the hierarchy of our party (try </span><a href="https://labour.org.uk/?s=forde" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="s1">searching the party website for the word Forde</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">), but those of us who are committed to a Labour Party which represents the interests of the people the Party was established to serve need to be more attentive.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For those whose idea of politics is that it consists of what goes on in the Westminster bubble, including Party HQ on Southside and the office of the Leader of the Opposition, Forde was awaited for two years for what it would tell us about <a href="https://labourlist.org/2022/07/exclusive-forde-report-into-claims-of-racism-sexism-and-bullying-revealed/"><span class="s1">who said what to whom about disciplinary action within the party and to what extent officials hostile to the Corbyn leadership sabotaged our campaigning</span></a>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, for those of us who understand that politics is about a class struggle, which is always being waged against us by our adversaries but only occasionally being fought vigourously from our side, the most important part of the Forde report is almost certainly its findings in respect of "allegation 6" (that “a racist, sexist and otherwise discriminatory culture exist in Party workplaces.”)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Forde States that; <b>"three dimensions of our inquiry lead us to conclude that there are serious problems of discrimination in the operations of the party:</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b><br /></span></p><ul class="ul1"><li class="li1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The undoubted overt and underlying racism and sexism apparent in some of the content of the WhatsApp messages between the Party’s most senior staff.</span></b></li></ul><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b><br /></span></p><ul class="ul1"><li class="li1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A significant number of replies to our Call for Evidence – mainly from ordinary party members – spelling out their experience of discrimination - racism, Islamophobia and sexism – in constituency parties and in Party processes; whilst it is not our intention to examine cases in CLPs, often the complaints were in part about the failure of party officials at regional and national level to take such problems seriously.</span></b></li></ul><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b><br /></span></p><ul class="ul1"><li class="li1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Submissions from current and former members of staff describing their experience of discrimination and of lack of sensitivity to issues of racism and sexism displayed by senior management.”</span></b></li></ul><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Though expressed in the measured, lawyerly language which helps to soften the blows of so much of what Forde has to say (and for which one ought not probably to criticise a measured lawyer) these are damning and damaging conclusions.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Trappist silence of the Party Leader in response to this condemnation of the organisation he heads has rightly been <a href="https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2022/08/15/abbott-piles-more-pressure-on-starmer-over-forde-report/"><span class="s1">called out by a number of our Black MPs.</span></a> Hundreds of party members have signed <a href="https://form.jotform.com/222117766737361"><span class="s1">an open letter</span></a> calling for a response from the Party leadership to Forde’s conclusions in respect of Allegation 6.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At its best our Party has a proud record of fighting racism and supporting anti-discrimination legislation. At its worst, our Party has a shameful record of support for imperialism overseas and racist immigration legislation at home. We cannot go on facing in both directions forever if we expect to retain the strong electoral support which Labour receives from Black voters in the inner cities.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The silence of the Party leadership in response to Forde suggests an organisation in denial about its problems. This can't go on. Labour cannot be a Party in which Black activists are treated less favourably on grounds of race or are victimised for expressing their concerns.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the meantime, those of us who become aware of individual cases which appear to illustrate in practice the conclusions drawn by the Forde report in respect of Allegations 6 will have to think carefully about how long we allow the Party to resolve issues before making public criticisms.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-1291339187404874752022-08-29T11:59:00.001+01:002022-08-29T11:59:29.194+01:00What is going on beneath the surface?<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9Uf8Tx3kw1It91cAjCazwuubBJ8aPibl9OPwsb1BgCTeyOWUkbMoSBgRDlvqvkH639GqGwK_uC6EULLLcEUQ_vJOrZqjJ2xB61u00bommiDg8di3xrENu7_RlhTyZZl4CofgV2N0qU8-0xobM4GAE-bGrOSf3Er3tya3DsBstqUVPBhRfrk/s474/th-3135402698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="474" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9Uf8Tx3kw1It91cAjCazwuubBJ8aPibl9OPwsb1BgCTeyOWUkbMoSBgRDlvqvkH639GqGwK_uC6EULLLcEUQ_vJOrZqjJ2xB61u00bommiDg8di3xrENu7_RlhTyZZl4CofgV2N0qU8-0xobM4GAE-bGrOSf3Er3tya3DsBstqUVPBhRfrk/s320/th-3135402698.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">As our movement experiences a strike wave unprecedented in recent times, because our class faces a cost of living crisis which will echo in misery and death </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/aug/29/almost-quarter-of-uk-plans-to-go-without-heating-this-winter-energy-price-cap" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">throughout the winter </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">unless </span><a href="https://wesayenough.co.uk/" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">we fight back</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">, there is (of course) another struggle going on, hidden beneath the surface, in the darker recesses of the movement.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Those for whom the labour movement is essentially a source of power, prestige or employment are diligently protecting their interests from those activists who are fighting for the movement to be primarily a source of hope and empowerment for our people.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As is pretty much traditional when right wing officialdom launches an attack on left-wing activists in the workers’ movement, many victims of the witch-hunt are mischievously accused of bullying or harassing officials of the movement. <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2010/02/unison-should-stop-attacking-our-own_17.html"><span class="s1">This is not at all new</span></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hard as it may be to believe, even someone as sweet and reasonable as your humble blogger has faced the <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2016/06/i-couldnt-possibly-comment.html"><span class="s1">threat of disciplinary action</span></a> for having criticised employees of the labour movement (even when that criticism was for<a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2015/12/worrying-news-of-electoral-malpractice.html"><span class="s1"> the most egregious breaches of the rules</span></a> of the trade union which employed them!)</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There are two reasons why allegations of bullying or harassing staff are commonly made when concocting disciplinary cases against socialists in the labour movement (or three, if you include the fact that being held to account by ordinary members is sometimes experienced by some of the "paid ones" as aggressive).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">First, an allegation of bullying disarms potential supporters of a victimised activist. Because bullying at work has increasingly been <a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/knowledge/discrimination/bullying-and-harassment/"><span class="s1">recognised as a significant problem </span></a>over the course of the past generation, and all the more so <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-do-we-tackle-bullying-at-work_5.html"><span class="s1">during the period of austerity since the last financial crash</span></a>, we are all used to the idea that it is important to listen attentively to those who allege bullying or harassment.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As labour movement activists we tend to start from the position of believing and supporting an employee who alleges that they have been bullied or harassed. This approach, which is only sensible when dealing with an employee of a private or voluntary sector organisation or of the (local or central) state, can easily lead us astray when we are considering cases within our own movement. Bullying is the abuse of power. When the powerful accuse their critics of bullying, wise observers look more closely to see what is really going on.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Secondly, it can be easier to secure a disciplinary sanction in cases in which allegations of bullying or harassment of staff are made against activists. Recent changes to the rules of the Labour Party (set out in Clause I, Part 5.B.vii of Chapter 2 of the <a href="https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Rule-Book-2022-a.pdf"><span class="s1">2022 Rule Book</span></a>) have defined “threatening or harassing" staff as a "prohibited act" for which a member may have their membership terminated without the right to a hearing of the evidence against them or the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">UNISON also has a <a href="https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2019/12/25914.pdf"><span class="s1">separate "fast track" disciplinary process</span></a> which is applied in cases where complaints are made by staff against activists (the original version of this, which used to be set out in appendix 2 to the UNISON Rule Book, was introduced in 1997 after the union lost an employment tribunal claim and was intended to apply only to cases of alleged harassment, but revisions made in 2017 broadened the scope of the process considerably).</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The device of using allegations of bullying to attack left-wing critics also enables those who wish to support the status quo in our movement to jump on a high horse and pompously denounce anyone supporting victims of the witch-hunt for defending bullies.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This has the added benefit that it does not require those sitting on the high horse to think too much about what is actually going on, as that could give them quite a nasty headache.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Whilst the most important struggle facing us is unquestionably the struggle against the Government and employers to defend the standard of living of our people, we cannot abandon the victims of witch-hunting within our own movement, nor can we remain silent when those with power in our movement use administrative means to settle political differences.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-90166800918715149102022-08-24T12:57:00.000+01:002022-08-24T12:57:39.062+01:00TUC - the triumph of hopelessness over experience<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQkTL4EH2jUmfFroLxbw85Bo8rribX-SWslEK2Nj5n3Eonnw_7ItcSstSNylEyKIixc3EKXWaJ6d1rLCvck6N7BqdellzDF8P3ZfVn4qZkMDRLbDvgtkgdgMtr2vazu3911RaOS5lxrxYGmaUe-CGM75iQKLl-7yNIfkQRx20bEoXmcIdacg/s526/tuc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQkTL4EH2jUmfFroLxbw85Bo8rribX-SWslEK2Nj5n3Eonnw_7ItcSstSNylEyKIixc3EKXWaJ6d1rLCvck6N7BqdellzDF8P3ZfVn4qZkMDRLbDvgtkgdgMtr2vazu3911RaOS5lxrxYGmaUe-CGM75iQKLl-7yNIfkQRx20bEoXmcIdacg/s320/tuc.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I really should have known better.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After several years of advising Labour Party comrades to be careful what they share on Facebook, I fell, hook, line and sinker, for something of a scam yesterday.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">During the day, I noticed that the TUC were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tradesunioncongress/posts/pfbid02W1vtHFn5x1QmBBfytBc1nAy8PJi5Gu686WGpRKzxtzPNNh4ogcGSjZQL6ydFaRzDl"><span class="s1">advertising, on Facebook, an announcements to be made at 10:30 pm that evening</span></a>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As a hardened cynic, and Labour historian, I really should've known better, but I briefly thought (in the context of a strike wave unprecedented in recent years) that this might be an important announcement about some action being called by, or in the name of, the General Council of the TUC.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I can console myself that many others drew a similar conclusion, but I don't have the excuse of lacking either experience or understanding of the history of our movement generally, and the TUC in particular.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When it turned out that the only announcement that was made (on <a href="https://twitter.com/The_TUC/status/1562190682424758273"><span class="s1">Twitter</span></a>, and only <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tradesunioncongress/posts/pfbid028LV4fjm2hhVcaiFDm2N9MqfpFHgwS43Qh9t6xWRqNHdH8XcuwTnpKsHNKbtvTH4Ul"><span class="s1">five minutes late on Facebook</span></a>) was that the TUC was to start campaigning for an increase in the minimum wage to an hourly rate of £15, there was considerable disappointment expressed online.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I really had no business being disappointed. If anything, I ought to be happy that the TUC is doing anything at all. The history of the TUC is not a history of coordinating action by trade unions and providing leadership to struggle. It is a history of presenting itself as an “honest broker” between unions and Government.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The General Strike of 1926 was not called off because it was insufficiently supported, but <a href="https://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1986/tradeunion/ch21.htm"><span class="s1">because the leadership of the TUC were terrified of what they had unleashed</span></a>. During the public sector <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2012/08/your-campaigning-general-council_31.html"><span class="s1">pensions dispute of 2011/2012</span></a>, if reports received by the UNISON NEC are to be believed, the TUC "office" was even more keen on an early settlement, on almost any terms, than the leadership of the large trade unions who eventually led us into an unsatisfactory settlement.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the many amusing features of my 14 years on the UNISON NEC was to hear, from time to time, reports from our officials about the dastardly goings-on which were the responsibility of the "office" of the TUC (although nothing quite matched the sheer hilarity of the anger expressed by the General Secretary upon his return from the Congress of the Public Services International (PSI) <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2007/10/general-secretary-report-to-unison-nec.html"><span class="s1">at which our candidate had been unsuccessful</span></a> in an election and, as it was reported to us, the staff off PSI had been less than neutral (and not to our advantage)).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The officials of the TUC are an "ideal type" of a trade union official. If union officials generally are fairly well insulated from direct accountability to the membership of their trade union (and all the more so the larger the union and the more diverse its membership in terms of occupational groups) then the officials of the TUC benefit (if that is the right word) from a sort of double insulation. They are not even accountable to the officials of the other trade unions!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This insulation may serve as some sort of soundproofing. This would certainly explain why Congress House appears at the moment to be listening to the struggles of our class with a tin ear. As laudable as it no doubt is to campaign for a minimum wage to be set at the level of £15 an hour (although it would be better also to demand some form of indexation, perhaps like the "triple lock" on the state pension), there can be little doubt that what workers taking strike action across the economy at the moment are looking for is leadership in their fight for higher pay to address the cost of living crisis.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The challenge which faces comrades on the General Council of the TUC, and delegates attending next month’s Congress, will be not simply to agree the <a href="https://congress.tuc.org.uk/motion-01-higher-pay-to-tackle-the-cost-of-living-crisis/"><span class="s1">excellent motion from UNISON</span></a> which sets out what needs to be done, but to ensure that it is acted upon.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I will end with one piece of friendly advice for Congress house.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Don't advertise statements in advance when they are only going to disappoint the people to whom you have advertised them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-47540345247294628242022-08-20T11:52:00.000+01:002022-08-20T11:52:05.920+01:00Huffington Post misleading on UNISON membership<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubC8arsOHrZJOsaR_RpRtdvgUNFaYQwRqDdSyoKW5IaczAX2x6ILEPVPn3eROzh4XYIwhU-vCSqLoY0nH2VySUtkBt1qHz1MB7bwqg5BCjvgYg2kMbIHQosEqgcV06MdjE9R2BT3HGnTxq7l-CFcvAcNye9k3WXjoSk8Wl_X-nHfUs_1fvLQ/s474/th-1751235468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="474" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubC8arsOHrZJOsaR_RpRtdvgUNFaYQwRqDdSyoKW5IaczAX2x6ILEPVPn3eROzh4XYIwhU-vCSqLoY0nH2VySUtkBt1qHz1MB7bwqg5BCjvgYg2kMbIHQosEqgcV06MdjE9R2BT3HGnTxq7l-CFcvAcNye9k3WXjoSk8Wl_X-nHfUs_1fvLQ/s320/th-1751235468.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I was struck by a </span><a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/gmb-and-unison-lose-50000-members-as-smaller-unions-enjoy-uptick-in-numbers_uk_62fceafae4b0c8c57f57c077" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">report in the Huffington Post about falling membership of GMB and UNISON.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> The report was clearly based on the annual returns submitted by each trade union to the </span><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-list-of-active-trade-unions-official-list-and-schedule/trade-unions-the-current-list-and-schedule" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">Certification Officer</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">, but had used the total membership figures rather than more important figure of the number of members contributing to the general fund (i.e. the number of members in employment paying subscriptions).</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Being interested in such matters (as regular readers of this blog, Sid and Doris Blogger, are well aware) I thought I would look at these more important membership figures for our trade union over the past decade or so (since the commencement of Tory austerity);</span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Table One: UNISON membership 2010-2021</span></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="t1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td class="td1" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 31px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Year</span></b></p></td><td class="td2" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 31px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Membership (millions)</span></b></p></td><td class="td3" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 31px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Annual percentage change</span></b></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2010</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.375</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p6" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td7" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2011</span></p></td><td class="td8" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.318</span></p></td><td class="td9" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p7" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-4.1%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2012</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.302</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p7" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-1.2%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td7" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2013</span></p></td><td class="td8" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.283</span></p></td><td class="td9" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p7" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-2.7%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2014</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.270</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p7" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-1.0%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td7" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2015</span></p></td><td class="td8" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.256</span></p></td><td class="td9" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p7" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-1.1%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2016</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.226</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p7" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-3.0%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td7" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2017</span></p></td><td class="td8" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.214</span></p></td><td class="td9" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p7" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-1.0%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2018</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.205</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p7" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-0.9%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td7" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2019</span></p></td><td class="td8" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.213</span></p></td><td class="td9" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">0.8%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2020</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.251</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">3.1%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td7" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 72.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2021</span></p></td><td class="td8" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 162.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.229</span></p></td><td class="td9" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 19px; padding: 0px 7.2px; width: 154.6px;" valign="top"><p class="p7" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-1.8%</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Source: </b><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unison-the-public-service-union-annual-returns"><span class="s1"><b>https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unison-the-public-service-union-annual-returns</b></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These figures do not tell the tale that the Huffington Post was telling. UNISON’s total membership did indeed fall between 31 December 2020 and 31 December 2021, but only the laziest journalist would describe this as a "slump in the membership" if they were aware of this historical background (which can be accessed online in a matter of minutes).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If anything these figures demonstrate a return to the gradual decline in UNISON membership which has been a feature of the period since 2010, following an increase in membership in 2019, and particularly during 2020. This might not have given a “clickbait” headline, but it would have been an accurate piece of reporting had it been reported.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As a general union organising across a number of sectors, the aggregate membership increase or decrease in UNISON in any given year will mask quite different experiences in the different sectors and regions of the trade union. However, the figures submitted to the Certification Officer are an authoritative source for our aggregate membership figures.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The real membership challenge facing UNISON in the coming period is to make UNISON membership feel relevant and important to members during the cost of living crisis. If UNISON is not seen to be fighting to defend our members standard of living, then many members may decide that their monthly subscription is one of those expenses on which they will cut back.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In fact we need to go beyond "making members feel" that UNISON is fighting to defend their standard of living, by actually fighting to defend our members standard of living. In the period since 2010, UNISON's approach has generally been one of symbolic opposition to austerity in order to recruit and retain members. Not only has this approach coincided with a dramatic fall in real pay for our members, it has also seen a 10% fall in UNISON membership.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now is the time to lead our members in a fight for higher pay.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-42111750509487680932022-08-19T17:10:00.001+01:002022-08-19T17:10:48.374+01:00What should socialists do in response to the decline in Labour Party membership?<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaytqF8dUlHsEashF_BRvbCgWTgBXTYEh0kpjVDnMYMK6gsndwmQDiSoHuU65UOHQ7YlTveG3ig4fr4q-RfD9_6pjdezCr0ILUzCL9tg-jbqGmDCfnz_IeJMx3uYjMOOZnYW2jxmLCDKkVsqDeTkivAJTZ9eq4DhNjQ8u6fC584DWgkN0UAL8/s2410/mp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2410" data-original-width="1953" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaytqF8dUlHsEashF_BRvbCgWTgBXTYEh0kpjVDnMYMK6gsndwmQDiSoHuU65UOHQ7YlTveG3ig4fr4q-RfD9_6pjdezCr0ILUzCL9tg-jbqGmDCfnz_IeJMx3uYjMOOZnYW2jxmLCDKkVsqDeTkivAJTZ9eq4DhNjQ8u6fC584DWgkN0UAL8/s320/mp.jpg" width="259" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As I <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2022/08/labourlist-misleading-on-massive-fall.html"><span class="s1">blogged on Wednesday</span></a>, I have been thinking about the massive loss of membership experienced by the Labour Party in the period since Kier Starmer has been our Leader. Serendipitously, I have also been reading Mike Phipps’ excellent new book "<a href="https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/dont-stop-thinking-about-tomorrow/"><span class="s1">Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow</span></a>", which tackles the vital question of how socialists should respond to the current situation in our Party.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One response, which has clearly been made by thousands, if not tens of thousands, is to leave the Labour Party. Those who have taken this path may well feel vindicated by the data which shows that they are not alone (although, by and large, once they leave the Party they are more or less alone and their political activity appears to consist largely of commenting on social media).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As Mike Phipps observes; “those who advocate leaving the Party entirely seldom treat the issue in terms of how it affects the needs of people the Party should represent, and instead frame it almost as an individual lifestyle choice.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Phipps quotes <a href="https://twitter.com/jemgilbert/status/1317391136856694784"><span class="s1">Jeremy Gilbert</span></a> approvingly in relation to those who choose to leave the Labour Party because they feel it no longer reflects “who they are”, saying that this “seems to express a passive, ahistorical, consumerist, retail understanding of politics. The Labour brand identity no longer matches yours: time to shop elsewhere . .”</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Phipps also quotes Momentum co-founder and Jeremy Corbyn’s former Head of Strategic Communications, James Schneider, who, <a href="https://socialistregister.com/index.php/srv/issue/view/2541"><span class="s1">interviewed in Socialist Register</span></a>, offers a more informed perspective on the nature of our Party than that which has guided those who joined when it made them feel good and left as soon as it made them feel bad;<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“The Labour Party is an institution within society that has one foot within the progressive forces of society and one foot in the state, and therefore part of its role is to prop up the existing power structures of capitalist society and part of its role is to challenge that power. That conflict takes place within the party by definition. It’s a site of struggle.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyone who has had the misfortune to read this blog occasionally over the past 16 years will appreciate that this has very much been <a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2013/02/why-we-need-rank-and-file-organisation_8.html"><span class="s1">my view of the trade union movement</span></a>, as an active member of which I spent my working life (and still hope to spend such retirement as I have ahead of me).</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In a capitalist society, the labour movement (which includes both the trade unions and the Labour Party) is both a vehicle for the organisation of our class and a site of struggle between those seeking the transformation of society and those for whom politics and trade unionism are all about participating in the existing society in order to mitigate its worst features.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The latter generally hold the whip hand over the former within our movement (were that not the case capitalism would hardly be a stable system). They are never above the illegitimate use of administrative means to settle political disagreements, whether that is through the unjustified expulsion of UNISON activists in the past or the current purge of socialists within Labour Party.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Serious socialists do not have the option of abandoning the site of struggle which is our labour movement. Although we can anticipate that we will more often lose than win, we have to continue fighting in the interests of the people the movement was established to represent. This means that we cannot keep our heads down in a difficult time, but nor can we be cavalier about our positions in either our trade union or our Party.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since the Labour Party machine began victimising socialists on an industrial scale (around the time that it became clear that Jeremy Corbyn stood a good chance of winning the leadership of the party), there have been two equally misconceived responses, each of which is the mirror image of the other.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From the beginning there was some who saw the "witchhunt" as the most important issue around which to organise. Having themselves been expelled from the party, some comrades felt that their cause should be the priority of all. The organisation "Labour Against the Witchhunt" arguably exemplified this approach.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the other extreme were those who hardly wanted to mention the abuse of the Labour Party’s rules and procedures against socialists, whether because (during Corbyns leadership) they sought compromise with the right-wing or because (subsequently) they feared themselves becoming a target. The leadership of Momentum prior to 2020 were among those who appeared to have taken such a vow of silence.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Neither of these approaches are satisfactory.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As is made clear by Mike Phipps, there is much more for socialists in the Labour Party to focus upon than simply the disciplinary action being taken unjustly against some of our number. We need to continue to build upon the policy gains of the Corbyn period, recognising that the right wing of the Party have a policy vacuum at their heart. We also need to build our Party locally as a campaigning organisation reaching out to the people we should represent, beyond a narrow electoralism. These are both higher priorities than waging internal battles.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, it would be equally wrong to ignore the injustices being done to fellow socialists by the Party bureaucracy. If we hold onto our Party cards but keep our heads down, we will be avoiding the error of those who allow their individual discomfort to lead them away from the site of struggle within the Labour Party, but we will not be engaging in that struggle, and we will be giving carte blanche to our adversaries within the Party. Whilst the resistance to the victimisation of each individual must be guided by that individual, we must not see the current witchhunt as being essentially about the individuals under attack. This is a concerted effort to weaken socialism within the Labour Party and the individual socialists caught up in this have an obligation to do all they can to defend themselves, if only to tie up the resources being used for this illegitimate endeavour.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The decline in Labour Party membership has been <a href="https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/rachel-reeves-says-losing-labour-members-is-a-good-thing-as-party-shakes-corbynite-past-308797/"><span class="s1">positively welcomed by Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves</span></a>, expressing the honest opinion of those on Labour's Right who are happy to have a smaller and more manageable party. The effectiveness of the political witchhunt, from the point of view of those supporting it, is not to be measured just in the number of those directly terminated or expelled. The victory of the witch hunters comes if, for every individual victimised, they can rely upon another dozen, or hundred, to express their precious individuality by resigning their membership.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From the point of view of the Labour Left it is important to remember that, for all the setbacks we have experienced since the last General Election we remain in a stronger position within the Labour Party than we were at any time this century prior to 2015.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The least thing which each of us can do is to back the <a href="https://www.clpd.org.uk/campaign/labour-party-nec-elections-vote-for-the-grassroots-5/"><span class="s1">Grassroots Five candidates</span></a> in the NEC elections, in which everyone should by now have cast their votes. Beyond that, we need to rebuild organisation on the Labour Left. The organisations which we had before 2015 are unlikely to be adequate to meet the challenges of 2025, and Momentum still has a lot to do to prove it's worth when it is no longer a fan club for a socialist Labour Leader. </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Part of this process of rebuilding organisation must include supporting resistance to the ongoing witchhunt.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-25985845183597640162022-08-17T22:19:00.001+01:002022-08-17T22:27:28.173+01:00LabourList misleading on massive fall in Party membership<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT9HxRig612Ov2rNLgi7lp7Zi3GKuFsDnZpMSzLA1bHhWPpVVVncpDgcF-xr9O8koUDPDWwO5wuVfcnsr_dH23uYCqJCRDVfE-8HblUUYiipYDwGxFrepTCJSm0JC2WIOWMY__--f9lWDTqBp_s7ZGMyoPIET7wguHQbwHrvSOg2j5FTdiU8/s474/th-3396841526.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="474" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT9HxRig612Ov2rNLgi7lp7Zi3GKuFsDnZpMSzLA1bHhWPpVVVncpDgcF-xr9O8koUDPDWwO5wuVfcnsr_dH23uYCqJCRDVfE-8HblUUYiipYDwGxFrepTCJSm0JC2WIOWMY__--f9lWDTqBp_s7ZGMyoPIET7wguHQbwHrvSOg2j5FTdiU8/s320/th-3396841526.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Our Labour Party has </span><a href="https://labourlist.org/2022/08/labour-membership-falls-by-more-than-90000-as-party-reports-5m-deficit/" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">lost 90,000 members</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> over the past year. The </span><a href="http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Api/Accounts/Documents/24331" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">party’s statements</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> revealed that the number of Labour members fell by 17.4% from 523,332 in 2020 to 432,213 at the end of 2021.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although our current membership is well below its recent <a href="https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN05125/SN05125.pdf"><span class="s1">peak of 575,000</span></a> in July 2017, it remains a great deal higher than the 201,000 members we had going into the 2015 General Election.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Apparently, “<i>LabourList</i> understands that the fall in membership is in line with the usual trend experienced between elections,” but this understanding is simply not borne out by the data as reported by the Party to the Electoral Commission;</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Table 1: Labour Party Membership, 2010-2021</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="t1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td class="td1" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 14px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Year</span></p></td><td class="td2" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 14px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Membership at 31/12</span></p></td><td class="td1" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 14px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Annual percentage change</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td3" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2010</span></p></td><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">193,261</span></p></td><td class="td3" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p4" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td5" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2011</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">193,300</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">0.02%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td7" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 14px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2012</span></p></td><td class="td8" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 14px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">187,537</span></p></td><td class="td7" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 14px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-2.98%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td5" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2013</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">189,531</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.06%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td3" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2014</span></p></td><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">193,754</span></p></td><td class="td3" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2.23%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td5" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2015</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">388,262</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">100.39%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td3" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2016</span></p></td><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">543,645</span></p></td><td class="td3" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">40.02%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td5" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2017</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">564,443</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">3.83%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td3" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2018</span></p></td><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">518,659</span></p></td><td class="td3" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-8.11%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td5" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2019</span></p></td><td class="td6" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">532,046</span></p></td><td class="td5" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2.58%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td3" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2020</span></p></td><td class="td4" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">523,332</span></p></td><td class="td3" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 15px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-1.64%</span></p></td></tr><tr><td class="td1" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 14px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2021</span></p></td><td class="td2" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 14px; padding: 4px; width: 151px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">432,213</span></p></td><td class="td1" style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 14px; padding: 4px; width: 152px;" valign="top"><p class="p5" style="color: #fb0207; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-17.41%</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Source: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the two years after losing the 2010 General Election we lost fewer than 6000 members, which was less than 3%. In the period after losing the 2015 General Election our membership increased massively, as a result of the two leadership elections won by Jeremy Corbyn. During 2018, the year after we lost the 2017 General Election, our membership did fall by a little more than 45,000 (8%). However, in the two years since we lost the 2019 General Election we have lost almost 100,000 members (18.76%).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Quite how <i>LabourList</i> can conclude that the catastrophic decline in party membership in 2021 is normal in a period between elections is difficult to work out. I guess it must be the combined effect of lazy journalism and disingenuous sources.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Another way of looking at this data is to say that Ed Miliband held the membership of our party steady, Jeremy Corbyn massively increased our membership and Kier Starmer has overseen continuous decline.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow, I will think a bit about the political implications of these statistics.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-370383838946034512022-07-31T19:45:00.004+01:002022-08-02T12:33:44.770+01:00Brighton and Hove Labour Local Campaign Forum 2017-2021: an accurate account<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOumTPn6uMhP3ZjIOzPrrKwDCEUrTZ9A_vXvYKXPPNw_3mhdSQBySugRchOFktybV3ieKB-it5mv4hqDu0W0KYbvWAz1l47FufI9vCWhiKgVjcL8LUAcPVWXa3-LKjXmH8oLiu1kiRtJlF14ZGtsw2hy1Ld72q-4BksQY5i01VhSZJucmMCA/s474/th-3524819979.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOumTPn6uMhP3ZjIOzPrrKwDCEUrTZ9A_vXvYKXPPNw_3mhdSQBySugRchOFktybV3ieKB-it5mv4hqDu0W0KYbvWAz1l47FufI9vCWhiKgVjcL8LUAcPVWXa3-LKjXmH8oLiu1kiRtJlF14ZGtsw2hy1Ld72q-4BksQY5i01VhSZJucmMCA/s320/th-3524819979.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;"><p><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>In the coming week, a relatively small group of Labour Party activists will meet in Brighton and Hove at the inaugural meeting of the new Local Government Committee (LGC) for our City. Having taken the decision not to put myself forward for the LGC because of </span><a href="https://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2020/04/keeping-on-to-end.html" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">my state of health</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">, all I can do is wish my comrades well for the work they have before them.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The LGC will have important work to do to draw up Labour’s manifesto for the 2023 local Council elections, and to coordinate the campaign to elect the largest possible number of Labour Councillors. One area of work which would normally be the responsibility of the LGC has been taken away from the Brighton and Hove LGC even before its inception - candidate selection.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The circumstances in which this has come to pass are circumstances in which a narrative is being promoted about the recent history of our Party in our city, and in particular about the predecessor body to the LGC, the Local Campaign Forum (LCF), which is inaccurate, misleading and untruthful.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mark Twain reputedly said that a lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth has got its boots on. Since there is a real danger that the false narrative will come to inform not simply perceptions of the past but also conduct in the present and into the future, I thought I should find a shoehorn and help the truth with its boots by writing this blog post.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In addition to having served as Chair of Brighton Pavilion CLP since our CLP was re-established at the beginning of 2017, I also served as Chair of the Brighton and Hove Local Campaign Forum (LCF) from its inception at the end of 2017 and throughout its existence. Unlike many other commentators on this subject, I can tell you what actually happened.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Relevant pre-history</span></b></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In common with many other areas of the country, the Party in Brighton and Hove experienced a massive increase in membership around the 2015 and 2016 leadership elections. Following the loss of all three Parliamentary seats at the 2010 General election, and the Party being forced into third place on the Council in the 2011 local elections, the three CLPs had been merged into a single City Party, with an All Member Meeting structure and a small 10 member executive (which, among other things, took on the function of the LCF for the area).</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Having obtained their first seat on the council in the late 1990s, the Green Party had gained support locally owing to the unpopularity of the Iraq War (in particular) and by 2011 they were the largest group on the Council and formed the first ever Green local administration, following on from the election, in Brighton Pavilion, of the first ever Green MP in 2010. Whilst Caroline Lucas consolidated her popularity, the Green Council most certainly did not. Therefore, in 2013, we won a seat back from the Greens on the local Council for the first time in the Hanover and Elm Grove by-election. This was followed by further Labour gains in the 2015 local elections and the establishment of a Labour administration, as well as by the Party winning back Hove and Portslade from the Tories in the General Election which took place on the same day.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Annual General Meeting of the City Party in 2016 attracted a very large attendance, although this was only a small proportion of the approximately 8000 members which the party by then had throughout the City. Since the venue for the meeting could not accommodate the numbers who turned up, the meeting took place in three shifts.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A new Executive was elected, some of whom had been members of the Executive previously, but most of whom (including the Chair and Secretary) had not. The new Executive, in common with a large majority of those in attendance at that AGM, were broadly sympathetic to the then Party Leader. </span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Various allegations were promptly made about the conduct of the meeting by supporters of candidates who had been unsuccessful in the elections undertaken at that meeting. In response to these complaints the NEC declared the meeting null and void and suspended the City Party. </span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although a subsequent investigation undertaken on behalf of the NEC did not, as I understand it, uphold any of the complaints made about the 2016 AGM, other criticisms were made, in particular in relation to postings on a Labour Party Members’ Facebook group for Brighton and Hove.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The NEC agreed, in consultation with local members who had been elected to both the old and the new Executive, and with the leadership of the Labour Group, to split up the City Party and reconstitute the three CLPs. As part of these discussions, a constitution was agreed for a new LCF for Brighton and Hove.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The three CLPs were constituted at inaugural AGMs is early in 2017, held in the presence of regional officials who oversaw the elections which took place there. Supporters of Jeremy Corbyn <a href="https://labourbriefing.org/blog/2017/3/23/brighton-and-hove-hat-trick-of-victories"><span class="s1">were generally successful </span></a>in the elections which took place at those meetings.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The inaugural meeting of the LCF, which was chaired at the outset by the Chair of the Regional Executive, and at which regional officials were present to conduct elections, did not take place until November 2017. Candidates of the left were successful. I, myself, was elected unopposed as Chair. This was <a href="https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/15707288.corbyns-backers-take-over-brighton-and-hove-labours-selection-panel/"><span class="s1">reported in the local press </span></a>with the sort of “balance” (and anonymous briefing from the right wing of the Party) with which we were familiar at the time.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The unfortunate legacy of the unfounded complaints made concerning the 2016 AGM of the City Party was that many active members of the reconstituted CLPs were very angry about the circumstances of the suspension and subsequent breakup of the City Party, which anger was compounded by what was perceived locally as an unnecessary delay in establishing the LCF (the only body which was seen as a successor to the previous citywide Party organisation).</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For the best part of 18 months, there had been no citywide Party body which could relate to, and hold to account, the Labour Group on the City Council. This was regrettable, as the then Leader was widely perceived to have been associated with the unfounded complaints about the 2016 AGM, and went on, during Party Conference 2017 to announce that Labour Party Conference might well not be welcome in Brighton and Hove in future, apparently on the basis of equally unsubstantiated allegations (following which <a href="https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/15652576.leader-agrees-to-let-labour-vet-statements/"><span class="s1">we had to ask him to allow elected officials of the party to have prior notice</span></a> of any criticisms he wanted to make in public).</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When I took office as Chair of the Brighton and Hove LCF in November 2017, along with other members of the newly elected Executive, I confronted a difficult situation in which relations between the Labour Group and the wider Party membership were poor and there was considerable contention between the majority of members at the time, who were supportive of the then Leader of the Party, and a hostile minority.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Panel interviews</span></b></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since our LCF had come into existence only 18 months ahead of the citywide local elections for which we needed to prepare, our first priority was to agree a timetable for candidate selection. At this point, I should probably stress that at every stage, and as required by the Rule Book, we kept colleagues at the Regional Office informed and consulted them on every step which we took. At no point was it suggested to us as an LCF EC that we were doing anything wrong or inappropriate.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although our work was interrupted somewhat by the resignation of our first Secretary, we soon had in place a replacement. Our EC worked well together as a team, and, with advice and support from our regional official, we organised briefing sessions for members interested in becoming candidates, with separate dedicated sessions also organised for women members and for black and ethnic minority members.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By the summer of 2018 we were ready to hold assessment team interviews with potential candidates in order to populate the panel. Every assessment team was chaired by a party member from outside Brighton and Hove, generally by volunteers from Worthing. Again, I should stress that we kept our regional official fully informed at every stage.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was mindful of the damage which would be done to the best interests of the Party at the time if anything took place which could exacerbate the existing divisions between supporters and opponents of the then Leader. Unfortunately, some existing Councillors displayed a sense of entitlement not only to be on the panel but also to be re-selected in the ward which they currently represented.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This obvious sense of entitlement was offensive, particularly to some of the new active members. The most extreme example was set by a long serving Councillor whom we admitted to the Panel but who was not selected by the local ward party. <a href="https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=153"><span class="s1">She ended up standing in that ward (unsuccessfully) but as a Conservative candidate</span></a>!</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was aware that if our assessment teams excluded any sitting Councillors from the panel this would lead to well-publicised contention and adverse media coverage which would have a negative impact upon our election campaign.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I therefore successfully persuaded comrades and colleagues on the LCF EC that our assessment teams should adopt an approach that it was not our job to exclude people for political reasons if they were otherwise eligible to stand as a candidate for our Party. We agreed that we wanted to have the largest possible panel so that members in branches could have the widest choice from which to shortlist and select candidates.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We asked all potential candidates the same questions, in order to ensure equality of opportunity and avoid discrimination. We did, of course, ask everyone if there was anything about them which could embarrass the Party. This was one of our standard questions.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am aware that there are those who might say that we should have done more "due diligence" at this stage. In response to that observation I would make three points. </span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">First, although we were in near constant communication with the Regional office we were at no stage advised that we should do any such checking of potential candidates. We were scrupulous in complying with the relevant provisions of Chapter 5 of the Rule Book and Appendix 4, which make no reference to "due diligence". Had we been given different guidance we would have followed it.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Secondly, and related to that point, there was (and is) no reference to "due diligence" in the Labour Party Rule Book. If there were such a reference it would presumably cover the important topic of how to avoid unlawful discrimination in selecting which candidates to scrutinise further, and also how to ensure compliance with T<span class="s2" style="color: black;">he <a href="https://gdpr.eu/"><span class="s3" style="color: #1a1a1a;">General Data Protection Regulation</span></a></span> (GDPR) when collecting and using the sensitive personal data upon which such checking would depend.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thirdly, as a group of volunteer lay activists who were also responsible for manifesto development and preparing the campaign, we did not only lack any guidance on this point, we also lacked the necessary resources to dig into the background of approximately 90 applicants to be on the panel.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The only potential candidates which were rejected by our assessment teams were those who did not have the requisite 12 months party membership. In a small number of cases, we sought, but did not receive, dispensation to place on the panel individuals who had fewer than 12 months continuous membership of the party. This serves to underline the fact that we were dealing with the Regional Office throughout, who were aware of our every step.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I think it is also important to point out that, having organised a dedicated event to encourage Black and ethnic minority members to come forward as potential candidates, we did approve every such candidate with the requisite period of membership. Having set ourselves a target of six candidates (based upon our reading of 2011 census data) we found ourselves with six Black and ethnic minority members on the panel. This wasn't nearly good enough but it is not quite the picture painted by recent media coverage.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Shortlisting and selection</span></b></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Having populated the panel with more than 80 members we moved on to shortlisting and selection of candidates for the 54 seats on the Council. A majority of our candidates were women. We applied the rules in relation to the selection of women candidates in winnable wards with the exception of South Portslade Ward, where members voted automatically to reselect their two sitting male Councillors, and Woodingdean Ward, where the Regional Director intervened to authorise the selection of two male candidates (underlining the point, which I have already made, that the Regional Office was closely involved in the process at every stage).</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In order to try and assist in the selection of Black and ethnic minority candidates in particular we recommended to all branches that prior to shortlisting and selection meetings they should play a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVp9Z5k0dEE"><span class="s1">training video about unconscious bias</span></a>. As far as I am aware, this recommendation was complied with in every branch.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the event, Black and ethnic minority candidates stood in Wish ward in Hove (two candidates), which we considered winnable . There was also one Black/ethnic Minority candidate in the winnable Woodingdean ward. Other Black/ethnic minority candidates stood in Patcham ward (safe Conservative) and Brunswick and Adelaide ward (relatively safe Green). Given that none of these candidates were eventually elected, this was a very disappointing outcome. However, we had required branches to address the question of unconscious bias and, whilst it is clear to me now that we should have gone further and implemented antiracist training at branch level, I must emphasise that we received no such guidance from the Region at the time.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It has recently been suggested that "factional" activity may have impacted upon the selection, or non-selection, of Black and ethnic minority candidates in safe wards, I think that I should address this point directly. By way of introduction on this point, I should add that I am not a member of <a href="https://peoplesmomentum.com/"><span class="s1">Momentum</span></a> or of <a href="https://www.labourtowin.org/"><span class="s1">Labour To Win</span></a> (or <a href="https://www.labourfirst.org/"><span class="s1">either</span></a> of its <a href="https://www.progressivebritain.org/"><span class="s1">predecessor </span></a>organisations). I am a member of the <a href="https://labourrep.com/"><span class="s1">Labour Representation Committee</span></a> (LRC). The LRC played no active organising role in relation to candidate selection for the 2019 elections in Brighton and Hove.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was aware that there was a “Momentum slate” in many wards, although (in spite of the fact that the great majority of members at that time were probably very sympathetic to the politics of that organisation) inclusion on that “slate” was certainly no guarantee of selection in a safe Labour ward. Less openly, I am aware that there were invitation-only meetings for potential candidates at the office of Peter Kyle, MP. So-called "factional" activity took place on both sides of the aisle within the broad church of the Labour Party, and if anyone has been given to believe that this was not the case and that it was only supporters of Jeremy Corbyn who were organising in this way, then they have been deliberately misled.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Issues with candidates during and after the selection process</span></b></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Before the conclusion of the selection process, a (white, male) candidate who had been selected to fight Patcham ward for the Party circulated to ward members a statement which included stupid and offensive content. As Chair of the LCF I contacted the individual and expressed my opinions about his conduct. He promptly resigned and we were able to replace him. Patcham was a safe Conservative ward.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">During the election campaign, some historic tweets which had been made by a (white, male) candidate selected to fight St Peter’s and North Laine (SPNL) ward came to light. These were drawn to the attention of the Regional Office rather than the local party and the Party (reasonably) viewed them as offensively misogynistic. The candidate was suspended from the Party, although he had already been nominated and therefore remained on the ballot paper. SPNL was a safe Green ward.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Shortly thereafter, I was contacted by our Regional Official who told me that the Party was suspending a Black woman candidate in the winnable Wish ward on the basis of some historic posts on Facebook, which were considered to be antisemitic. On behalf of the LCF I objected to this action, which I considered to be precipitate and unjustified. The candidate remained on the ballot paper, but neither she nor the other ethnic minority Labour candidate in that ward were successful. The ward was held by the Tories.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Election manifesto, campaign and results</span></b></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the run-up to the election, the LCF had organised three open sessions for Party members to contribute to the writing of the manifesto, following which a member of the LCF EC collated all the comments and contributions into a document which was subsequently edited by the Labour Group and became our manifesto. This manifesto was very popular within the Party and the process whereby it was drawn up was widely viewed as a successful model.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The LCF also coordinated campaigning activity across the city in the run-up to the elections and solicited support and donations, including significant and important support from the GMB. We focused support from the LCF on Labour-held and winnable wards, whilst also providing nominal support for other wards where members were keen to launch an effective local campaign (which would draw the resources of opposing parties to defend their wards).</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I make these points in order to emphasise that the LCF and its EC were engaging in a great deal of work for our Party which is not recognised in the ill-informed criticism now being made in relation to candidate selection.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The results of the 2019 elections were not what we would have hoped for. Although we performed well against the Tories (with the exception of Wish ward to which I have referred above), we lost ground to the Greens, losing several of the seats which we had won back from them in 2015 (and 2013). We remained, at that point, the largest party group on the council (with one more Councillor than the Greens).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This was the first time in 20 years that the largest group on the council had continued to be the largest group after the quadrennial election. For the first time, the Conservatives were relegated to the third largest group on the Council.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Labour formed an administration and came to an agreement with the Green opposition about developing a strategic plan for the Council to reflect the considerable common ground between the election manifestos of the two parties. As Chair of the LCF I attended regular meetings between the two groups to monitor implementation of the memorandum of understanding which governed their cooperation on certain issues.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Issues raised about Councillors after the election</span></b></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In mid 2020 complaints were made about three members of the Labour Group, which were allegations in relation to antisemitism. In each case these complaints were historic in the sense that they referred back to matters which had arisen when the individuals concerned were not sitting as Members of the Council. The complainant(s) had either sought out such historic information or had been sitting on the complaints for some time.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Two of the three Councillors concerned resigned from the Party rather than face investigation and still sit as independents. No one can know if the conclusion of the investigations which did not take place would have led to disciplinary action against either of these two individuals, nor if such action would have led to suspension or expulsion or in either case. Comparison with the one case in which the member did not resign rather suggests that they would not have.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the third case a disciplinary investigation led to the suspension of the individual for 12 months, followed by a further period before they were readmitted to the Labour Group. Subsequent developments mean that the individual is now once more listed as an Independent Councillor.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To say that we lost three Labour Councillors "because of antisemitism” is, at best, a gross oversimplification. As I have <a href="https://nottheandrewmarrshow.co.uk/what-led-labour-to-lose-brighton-council/"><span class="s1">explained elsewhere online</span></a> the answer to the question of why Labour lost our position as the largest group on<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Brighton and Hove City Council in 2020 is considerably more complicated than that.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In any event the problems faced in these three individual cases in 2020 cannot be attributed to the work of the LCF, undertaken in 2018, to select candidates for the 2019 elections. The LCF followed all advice and guidance which we received from the Party, and did not fail to comply with any such advice. Furthermore, we involved the Region every step of the way.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If, which would not be reasonable, it were to be held that the LCF had been in any way responsible for the circumstances which led to the loss of three members of the Labour Group in 2020, then one would have to conclude that the Region were equally culpable. I should stress that I do not believe that the Region were at fault in this matter, because I do not accept that the LCF bore any such responsibility.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Recent events</span></b></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Over the past year, discussions have taken place between members of the 3 CLPs in Brighton and Hove about establishing an LGC. We had been working on the assumption that this LGC would have the full range of powers of such a body as set out in the Labour Party Rule Book.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, at 16.42 on 26 May, the Regional Director of the Labour Party wrote to the senior officers of the three Constituency Labour Parties in Brighton and Hove. He expressed “grave concerns with the current situation in Brighton and Hove”.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He expressed concern about the candidate vetting process;<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“To lose one councillor due to antisemitism allegations is unacceptable, but to lose 20% of the Labour group and control of one of the largest councils in the South East is appalling and cannot ever be allowed to happen again.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He also reported that he had been having extensive conversations with prospective BAME candidates who attempted to stand in 2019 and the Brighton BAME forum, as follows;<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“The reports back to me have been shocking.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It is bad enough that Brighton was highlighted by Operation Black Vote for having no BAME councillors but hearing some of the experiences faced by BAME candidates who attempted to stand last time, it is clear that the situation is indefensible.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some told me that they attempted to stand in winnable wards only to be told “you can’t stand here because if you do an anti-Jeremy candidate may win” and some told me of the pressure applied to them by other members of the local parties and those within positions of authority which has been shocking to hear.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He reported that he had referred these concerns to the National Executive Committee (NEC) and that it had been decided a panel will be appointed to conduct selections in Brighton and Hove. This panel will be made up of five members split from between the NEC and the Regional Executive Committee (REC), with at least two of the five members from BAME backgrounds.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On the same day, at 7:20 pm (before this recipient had even opened and read the email sent less than three hours earlier), this development was <a href="https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/labour-acts-over-antisemitism-and-racism-claims-in-brighton-and-hove/"><span class="s1">reported in the media</span></a>, as follows;<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Labour leaders in Brighton and Hove, Sussex, have been informed they can no longer conduct election candidate contests, due to continued concerns over antisemitism, and a lack of Black and other ethnic minority representatives…</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">…It follows repeat allegations of antisemitism amongst councillors and members, which eventually contributed to Labour losing overall control of Brighton Council to the Greens…</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">…It is also comes after BAME members told Labour’s regional bosses they felt they were being excluded from being selected as candidates because they were not part of the hard-left pro-Jeremy Corbyn faction.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 26px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One anonymous source reportedly said: “Despite all the welcome steps taken since Keir Starmer became leader, the Momentum faction still carries a lot of weight in some local branches.</span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 26px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“These people are overwhelmingly white and middle-class, ‘Posh Marxists’ is how some describe them.</span></p><p class="p5" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 26px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“The problem is, they have contributed to the continued toxic atmosphere at some meetings, and have also succeeded in ensuring we having an appalling lack of BAME candidates at elections.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Quite apart from any opinions which I might (and indeed did) have about the inaccuracy of the criticisms of our local party which were being made, and the thoroughly misleading way in which they were being expressed, I was quite struck by the similarity between the content of the correspondence, and of the press report which appeared within three hours of the email having been sent.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Conclusions</span></b></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If the anonymous sources for media reports really exist, and are not merely figments of the imagination of lazy hostile journalism, then they either know nothing about the subjects on which they opine or they are deliberately lying.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It is a pity that the NEC have taken decisions without seeking full information from party members in a position to provide an informed account. It is also a pity that correspondence generated from within the Party, and then promptly and all too predictably leaked to the press, made unsubstantiated allegations against unidentified party members in a way which could only encourage hostile media coverage which would damage the Party.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since criticisms of the LCF, a body which no longer exists, could not logically justify the recommendation to remove powers from the LGC, a body which does not yet exist, I have not written this blog post with any misguided hope of influencing the decision already taken about candidate selection for 2023.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My purpose in writing the above has simply been to set the record straight and to demonstrate that ordinary Labour party members in Brighton and Hove elected by and accountable to the local membership did the best job we could in the circumstances leading up to the 2019 local elections.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was proud to serve the Labour Party as Chair of the Brighton and Hove Local Campaign Forum over recent years and to have been a member of its Executive. We were inclusive, tolerant and democratic. We didn't get everything right and there were things we could've done a lot better, but we certainly don't deserve to be traduced in correspondence emanating from the Party we served or in press reports based upon anonymous briefings.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I wish the members and officers of the new LGC the best of luck for 2023 and the future.</span></p>Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.com0