Defend the Link! Sign up now!

Ever since Ed Miliband's speech on 9 July was first trailed the political running on the question of the Labour-union link has been made by those who want to weaken the link as a step toward state funding (although my own union did make a suitably robust initial response). Therefore, I was pleased to sign the "defend the link" statement - and would encourage all readers to go online now and sign it too! The statement, which kicks off a campaign which will be launched at a meeting in Central London on Tuesday 3 September, reads as follows; “The creation of the Labour Party opened up the possibility of political representation for working class people. The relationship between the trade unions and the Party has been and remains central to the role of the Party in representing the interests of working people. We therefore support: - the collective affiliation of trade unions to the Party; - collective decision making by trade unionists within the Party; - representation for, and involvement of, trade unions at every level of the Party. We will campaign for this throughout the Party and trade unions and call on all labour movement activists to make submissions to the Collins review in accordance with the above principles.”