Grudges and Grievances
The Telegraph reports that Margaret Prosser the former deputy general secretary of the T&G union (which merged with others to form Unite) has spoken out over the public row between Len McCluskey and the Labour Party.
Seems to me that Len's attempt to throw his weight around is beginning to backfire as Labour Party members rally behind Jim Murphy's comment that "we cannot have our leaders selected or de-selected by the grudges and grievances of one prominent man".
Labour would be 'bankrupt' without unions' cash, GMB chief warns
Len McCluskey, General Secretary of the union Unite. Credit: PA
Labour could not afford to fight a general election without union funding, GMB chief warns, as Harriet Harman insists Unite will not carry out threat to disaffiliate
By Emily Gosden - The Telegraph
The Labour Party would be "bankrupt" without cash from trade unions, the head of GMB has warned, after Unite threatened to disaffiliate if the party picked the wrong leader.
Paul Kenny, the GMB's general secretary, said that the Labour Party would be unable to fight another general election if affiliated unions withdrew their financial support.
The GMB in 2013 said it planned to pull £1 million funding from Labour in response to proposed reforms to trade union affiliation from Ed Miliband.
But Mr Kenny said it did not ultimately do so after changes to the reforms and because "the Labour party, if we pulled out, would be bankrupt".
Asked if a severing of the trade union link would be the end of the world for Labour, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It would be in terms of the way the current political make-up is structured... If you took away support from affiliated unions financially it is difficult to see how the Labour Party would fight a national election."
Harriet Harman, the acting Labour party leader, on Monday attempted to quell fears of a split between Labour and the unions, insisting she did not think there would be such a break despite the furious row between Jim Murphy, who resigned as Scottish Labour leader on Saturday, and Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite.
"We will thrash out discussions and it will be painful but we won’t tear ourselves apart," she said in a speech in London.
"I don't think there is going to be a break between Unite or any of the unions that are affiliated to the Labour Party.
"We have had a lot of soul searching to do across all parts of our party and we will have robust discussions. But, no, I don't think there is going to be a disaffiliation."
Mr Murphy on Saturday accused Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, of being "destructive" and said he must not be allowed to choose the next Labour leader, describing his support was the "kiss of death".
By Emily Gosden - The Telegraph
The Labour Party would be "bankrupt" without cash from trade unions, the head of GMB has warned, after Unite threatened to disaffiliate if the party picked the wrong leader.
Paul Kenny, the GMB's general secretary, said that the Labour Party would be unable to fight another general election if affiliated unions withdrew their financial support.
The GMB in 2013 said it planned to pull £1 million funding from Labour in response to proposed reforms to trade union affiliation from Ed Miliband.
But Mr Kenny said it did not ultimately do so after changes to the reforms and because "the Labour party, if we pulled out, would be bankrupt".
Asked if a severing of the trade union link would be the end of the world for Labour, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It would be in terms of the way the current political make-up is structured... If you took away support from affiliated unions financially it is difficult to see how the Labour Party would fight a national election."
Harriet Harman, the acting Labour party leader, on Monday attempted to quell fears of a split between Labour and the unions, insisting she did not think there would be such a break despite the furious row between Jim Murphy, who resigned as Scottish Labour leader on Saturday, and Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite.
"We will thrash out discussions and it will be painful but we won’t tear ourselves apart," she said in a speech in London.
"I don't think there is going to be a break between Unite or any of the unions that are affiliated to the Labour Party.
"We have had a lot of soul searching to do across all parts of our party and we will have robust discussions. But, no, I don't think there is going to be a disaffiliation."
Mr Murphy on Saturday accused Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, of being "destructive" and said he must not be allowed to choose the next Labour leader, describing his support was the "kiss of death".
Jim Murphy resigned as leader of the Scottish Labour party on Saturday
Mr McCluskey responded on Sunday by threatening that Unite's multi-million pound funding for Labour could be severed unless the party proves it is the "voice of organised labour", warning: "It’s essential that the correct leader emerge."
Baroness Prosser, the former Labour party Treasurer and former deputy general secretary of T&G, one of the predecessors of Unite, attacked Mr McCluskey, accusing him of failing to consult Unite's members.
“I felt really cross when I was hearing Len speak. The union belongs to me as much as it does to him," she told the BBC. “Nobody has asked me or any of the rest of membership what their views are about all of this.
“The idea that… the whole focus of Labour’s offer ought to be around organised labour is just daft."
Mr Kenny of the GMB played down the spat, arguing that “Len and Jim have been circling around the O.K. Corral now for best part of a decade" and suggesting it was better that any bloodletting take place now rather than in years to come.
Mr McCluskey responded on Sunday by threatening that Unite's multi-million pound funding for Labour could be severed unless the party proves it is the "voice of organised labour", warning: "It’s essential that the correct leader emerge."
Baroness Prosser, the former Labour party Treasurer and former deputy general secretary of T&G, one of the predecessors of Unite, attacked Mr McCluskey, accusing him of failing to consult Unite's members.
“I felt really cross when I was hearing Len speak. The union belongs to me as much as it does to him," she told the BBC. “Nobody has asked me or any of the rest of membership what their views are about all of this.
“The idea that… the whole focus of Labour’s offer ought to be around organised labour is just daft."
Mr Kenny of the GMB played down the spat, arguing that “Len and Jim have been circling around the O.K. Corral now for best part of a decade" and suggesting it was better that any bloodletting take place now rather than in years to come.
