Release Brian!

I am looking forward to tomorrow's meeting of the UNISON Greater London Regional Council.

(Regular readers Sid and Doris Shrink are already offering me therapy for these strange tastes).

At the Regional Council a motion has been ruled out of order.

I want to emphasise that I make no criticism here of that decision, for to question the wisdom of a Standing Orders Committee in our Union has become a matter which can cause all sorts of trouble.

(Even where there is not in fact a proper independent Standing Orders Committee for the body in question!)

So I shall just say this.

Brian Debus, praise of whom has been sufficient to see a motion not just ruled out of order but banned even from being printed or circulated, is a fine trade unionist whom I am proud to know.

I do not share his politics, but I respect his contribution to our movement - and I understand how hard it is, and how hard you have to be, to sustain activism in some of our branches. (You have to look on the bright side of life).

If I respected any of those who have decided to rule the motion praising Brian out of order half as much as I respect Brian I would mention it in the remainder of this blog post.