Two stories in today's Times examine the shock revelation that the trade unions are due to play a prominent role in the forthcoming election.
Two stories in today’s Times examine the shock revelation that the trade unions, instrumental in the formation of the Labour party, are due to play a prominent role in the forthcoming election. Left Foot Forward looks at the evidence.
Rachel Sylvester in the Times writes that:
Like Lord Ashcroft, Unite has been generous financially, contributing £3.6 million to Labour last year, nearly a quarter of the total donations the party received. Since March 2007 it has given more than £11 million.
The latter is clearly a big number but put in context it looks rather smaller. According to a written parliamentary answer from 2009, 1,291,408 Unite members contribute to its political fund – working out at under £3 per member per year since March 2007. Rather less than the average of £1 million a year donated by Lord Ashcroft’s company Bearwood Corporate Services over the same period.
Meanwhile, Tom Baldwin reports that:
Four of the most recent selections by constituency parties in winnable seats have led to senior trade union officials becoming parliamentary candidates.
But although it may be shocking to those who wish to see the destruction of the trade unions, Unite’s parliamentary group already has 156 members. Indeed, a number of senior Labour politicians of the past and present had prominent trade union backgrounds. These include
• Jim Callaghan – Assistant Secretary of the Inland Revenue Staff Federation before going on to become Prime Minister
• Ernest Bevin – General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union and later foreign secretary
• Alan Johnson – General Secretary of the Communications Workers Union and current Home Secretary
31 Responses to “Stop press: Unions support Labour”
Andrew Dodgshon
RT @leftfootfwd: Ashcroft & Unite are not analogous. Ashcroft gives £1m per year; Unite members give £3 per year http://cli.gs/t4rWQ
Daymo
Tyler sorry but as a union member I know that each member can give to the political fund if they wish, it is not compulsary, and a lot don’t. Those that do know where it goes and are, like me in the CWU, happy to fund the labour party and the various union education services that the political fund serves. If you are going to make sweeping statements about unions at least make sure they are true before you post them. All union members have this choice.
Liz McShane
Guido – would you like to tell us where you get your funding from to run your blog site.. and if that includes any generous donations from the well-heeled Lord Cashcroft?
Will Straw
Guido,
As I’ve said before when you asked whether LFF was seeking money from George Soros, I’m not engaging in a game of cat & mouse on who we are seeking funding from.
To reiterate: we continue to seek funding from a range of sources.
The names of donees appear on our Thanks page.
Will
Billy Blofeld
Liz,
You willingness to trust politicians is endearing.