UNISON website explains how and why the elected UNISON Labour Link national representatives voted to support Gordon Brown and Alan Johnson
"UNISON is recommending that members back Alan Johnson for deputy leader of the Labour party.The education secretary got the nod from UNISON’s political committee at a meeting yesterday, which also brought a unanimous vote to throw the union’s weight behind Gordon Brown as party leader.“We need an election-winning team to face down the Conservatives,” said Labour Link chair Steve Warwick. “Despite policy differences, Gordon can win an election for Labour.”
Alan Johnson’s strong trade union links and “good ministerial record” in areas such as public sector pensions and on education support staff won him the committee’s vote.“He’s someone we can do business with,” said Steve, adding:“We will continue to use the hustings to argue our case for a change in policy direction.”
Around half a million UNISON members are eligible to vote in Labour’s forthcoming leadership elections.Ballot papers will be sent out from 6 June, which will include the candidates' booklet and supporting nominations. The committee is also recommending members give their second preference vote to Peter Hain, the Northern Ireland secretary".
(grayee) I think the national Labour link committee realised that they had to pick the future prime minister and deputy leader who can defeat the Tories at the next election. Despite our differences in Labour movement family, we have to unite around winning candidates. There is simply no alternative for trade unionists to a Labour victory in the next general election.
4 comments:
Madness.
So the line from Unison is 'this is as good as it gets'?
What a shame. What a waste.
Oh come off it Tom.
Firstly there is no ideal candidate - there never can be - no-one can be 'all things to all men', even on the left. If Trotsky was resureected it would only be a matter of days before he was denounced for being a sell-out in one way or another.
Secondly it's a pretty bloody good choice. I have backed Brown, nto least for the fact that he is widely-respected for his integrity and stewardship of the economy, not just here but around the world.
Personally I thought Harman may have made a marginally better choice for Deputy, but Johnson is an extremely capable guy with massive experience, not just in Government but also in the trade union movement. What's so awful about that?
And don't throw the CWU issue up - so their conference overturned their Exec - that's their prerogative. Are we supposed to fall in like sheep behind the CWU? That's not solidarity, it's sleepwalking.
Our structures are there for our decision-making, not just to rubber-stamp another union's decision.
For a taste of the so-called "debate" on the matter in the CWU though, how's this for crass stupidity of the first order:
"Paul Moore from Central London branch said, “What next will the executive reveal? Is it Margaret Thatcher for the NHS, Rupert Murdoch for head of the BBC and Nicolae Ceausescu dug up to head the Electoral Commission?”
Simply idiotic, but absolutely representative of the mindset of the leftist morons who can glibly class decent people like Johnson in with a mass murderer.
Finally, we do have a choice. We can actively back people to lead us who will satisfy a small and unrepresentative clique. And let's not forget the role that the SWP, AWL (how can their members be in the AWL AND the Labour Party????) etc have been playing in supporting McDonnell etc. We don't give a flying ferret who runs their parties as they do not and never will have the chance to lead people except their own members up blind alleys.
Yes there was SOME support for McDonnell but IT WASN'T ENOUGH. Even the Campaign group - those who know McDonnell best- couldn't mobilise themselves effectively behind him. What kind of message did that send about him? That he was not capable of uniting or leading the party.
The game's over for the losers. Now get behind the Party and work your arses off for a Labour victory.
Andrew
Thanks for demonstrating why the right of the party and the unions are so unpopular with everyone I meet.
Jackson Jeffrey Jackson,
Well if you will insist on choosing to move in such small circles of narrow-interest groups you really shouldn't be surprised!
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