Blair really is appallingly bad. Listening to him is positively painful. He has just started droning on about globalisation (working up to a justification for the pitiful ambition of his centre-right Government no doubt).
The RMT delegation walked out as he started speaking, accompanied by some leftwing members of the UNISON delegation. The PCS delegation held up posters in protest but have largely remained in the hall.
A claque of New Labour supporters are trying to start applause from time to time, but in the middle of the UNISON delegation, where your blogger is sitting, he is being heard mostly in silence.
Blair says that people are fearful because of globalisation and terrorism. I am fearful because of the capitulation of the parties of the left to the ideology of the market – and he embodies that capitulation more than any other living individual.
Why on earth did the General Council think it was a good idea to invite this pillock?
But surely if one unison member walks out then the whole delegation should walk out. Or you all stay there.
ReplyDeleteEnd of the day I'm sorry but UNISON is affiliated to labour. Now RMT have disaffiliated thats ok. Blair is still the leader of the labour party. At least your General Secretary hasn't come out in support of Brown.
One of my friends on the UNISON delegation shouted 4 more years when Blair spoke!
ReplyDeleteWell if that's true then they were in breach of a delegation decision (which is not true of those who walked out as we had taken no decision as a delegation about that matter).
ReplyDeleteI didn't walk out, but I have great sympathy for those who did. Blair had nothing worthwhile to say and it was a sad waste of the time of thousands of trade unionists to have to listen to him.
I have since found out that the said comrade a long time UNISON activist and TUC organiser was in fact a visitor but still there as part of UNISON.
ReplyDelete