Now for the next elections! - to lead our Unions

As the two public schoolboys meet in private to see if the Tories and Lib Dems can cobble together a joint plan to attack the working class, I am looking forward to hearing from Paul Holmes and Jerry Hicks on Thursday about their rank and file campaigns to lead UNISON and UNITE in opposition to these attacks.

Our trade unions achieved far less than we had hoped for out of thirteen years of majority Government by a Party to which we are affiliated and to whose finances we have contributed immensely.

The most we can expect from the current horse-trading around Westminster is that it may slightly delay a far more combative approach towards us from a UK Government than we have been used to for some years.

To meet this challenge we need to renew our organisation and leadership. The ballot for UNISON General Secretary opens in a week's time, and nominations for the General Secretary of UNITE are expected to open shortly.

These elections are an opportunity for trade unionists to debate what we do next - and to build the rank and file organisation which we will require if we are to defend our jobs, pensions and conditions of service over the next couple of years.