Sat 28 Sep 2019, 12:31 PM | Posted by editor
LETTER by Mark Langabeer, Newton Abbot Labour Party Member
A case of deja-vu. History does indeed repeat itself, albeit on a higher plain. As a young labour movement activist during the mid to late 70s I, along with many others, experienced the frustration of CLP policies being overturned by the union block vote.
Amusingly, a delegate got to the rostrum at Labour Party conference and stated that ‘we may as well go down to the pub and leave the trade union delegates to do the voting’, or words to that effect. This frustration is understandable, but anger over the role of many of the trade union delegations must be tempered with an understanding that this will change.
During the Blair years, it was the CLPs that were generally on the right and the unions on the left. In my youth, there were some on the left that wanted the union block vote to be abolished, or at least curtailed. In my opinion, which I still hold, the block vote defines the party character and its link with the working class.
No doubt there are union leaders who abuse their power in relation to the block vote, for example by voting against their own union policy. It’s for members to hold them to account and replace them when necessary. It comes as no surprise, that the unions accept National Executive Committee and National Policy Forum statements without question. On the eve of a general election they have the view, albeit a false view, that there needs to be ‘unity’, to defeat the Tories.
However, should the Labour leaders fail to carry out their promises ie a fundamental shift in power and wealth to working people, then the unions will move sharply towards the ideas that dominate the CLPs, ie to the left. I think that today’s activists should hold out this perspective as an antidote to disappointment and passivity.
