This is, roughly, what I said at UNISON National Delegate Conference yesterday afternoon following the close of conference business, having been invited in as a guest to say a few words by way of thanks to the outgoing President of UNISON, my friend, Paul Holmes;
Denis Healey said that all political leaders should have a hinterland; interests beyond and outside their everyday political activity.
Paul’s hinterland includes his passionate support for Featherstone Rovers rugby league club, known as “the flat cappers”, or, simply, “Fev”.
Just like Paul, “Fev” come from somewhere in Yorkshire you probably haven't heard of, are frequently underestimated and perform well in excess of what is expected from them.
Paul is also a great fan of Bob Dylan, whom he has seen perform live 150 times.
Bob Dylan, of course, knew when the times they were a-changing, just as Paul knows when it's time for real change in our union.
Probably the only people Paul feels more for than he feels for Bob Dylan and Featherstone Rovers are his daughters, Greta and Anna, of both of whom I know he is incredibly proud.
Paul is a good, kind and thoughtful friend. I can vouch for the fact that he even forgives friends who screw up in ways which might have cost him quite a lot of money. Paul is also well-read and I find that a conversation with Paul is always informative leaving me with something to think about.
However, comrades I am not simply here to tell you about what a good bloke my mate Paul Holmes is. I am here to give thanks to the President of UNISON.
Paul, your presidency is important not just for the tremendous work that you have done for our trade union in the past year and in all the previous years, but because of what it signifies about UNISON’s coming of age in its 30th year.
You have been President in the face of victimisation from a reactionary employer and unjustified attacks from within our own movement.
Your presidency brings to an end a time in which socialist activists could be targeted not only by employers, but sometimes from within UNISON.
In thanking you, I am therefore also thanking many others whose struggles over many years helped to bring us to this point. I couldn't possibly name them all, but you wouldn't forgive me if I didn't mention our dear friend and former NEC member Bernie Gallagher.
Other comrades who are now retired, or have left UNISON, include Caroline Bedale, Alan Docherty, Helen Jenner, Mike Tucker, Tony Staunton, Yunus Bahksh, Glenn Kelly and Onay Kasab.
Your Presidency has been a great collective achievement. However, no one else could have assumed the presidency as you did, when you did, to start to drive through the changes for which so many of us have fought for so many years.
Paul, by standing up to vitriolic personal attacks from people who are so much smaller than you that I can barely see them, by putting your trade union before yourself as you have done for decades and because of your courage, tenacity and determination, you have been the President that UNISON has needed at this critical time.
I am proud that you are my friend, and I'm honoured to have had this opportunity to thank you for being our President.
I started with a reference to Dennis Healy, which, as anyone who's heard me speak before would realise is quite unusual, as he was never quite on my wavelength within the Labour party, although I did once appear alongside him a comedy gig (but that's another story…) I will therefore leave you with some words from Tony Benn;
“there is no final victory and no final defeat. There is just the same battle to be fought over and over and over again."
I think that's an appropriate epitaph for any UNISON conference.
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