A new red light for Part 3 of the Lobbying Bill

http://midlandstucmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/new-blow-to-lobbying-bill-as-business.html?m=1

A not inconsiderable hat tip to the Midlands TUC for the link above, which tells a funny story about how dishonesty can turn round and bite you in the posterior.

The Government oppose "red tape" because they oppose anything which gets in the way of profit (pesky things like health and safety law, or the requirement to pay a minimum wage).

They don't really oppose "red tape" as such of course (indeed they like to use it to keep foreigners out of the country or to make it harder for workers to bring claims in employment tribunals).

However, because we live in a class society in which those at the top prefer, mostly, not to flaunt their class bias, ‎ they have set up a Committee with the explicit aim of limiting red tape. All red tape. Anywhere. Not just red tape which constrains bosses.

Unfortunately for the Government, their Committee has applied their stated position on "red tape" (rather than their real position) consistently ‎ to Part Three of the Lobbying Bill (a.k.a. the Gagging Bill).

This is the bit that imposes novel, onerous and (literally) uncalled for requirements in relation to trade union membership records. The real intention of these proposals is - pretty obviously - further to constrain our already limited right to strike, but the Government can't say that.

So their very own "Regulatory Policy Committee" has given a "red" status to their mischevious plans. Parliamentarians need to stop this nonsense now.

And if they don't, the whole trade union movement will have to reconsider our approach of slavish compliance with anti-union laws which contravene our human rights and the UK's international treaty obligations.