It’s that time of year again. Another week, another Labour movement election. The ballot papers for this year’s UNISON London Labour Link (also know as the APF – the UNISON Labour Party political fund) Committee, Forum and Party conference arrived yesterday. UNISON is constitutionally part of the Labour Party.
Unlike other trade unions UNISON has two separate political funds. One for the Labour Party and the other is the "general" political fund (GPF). UNISON members can choose which fund (or no fund) they pay into.
All London UNISON Labour link branch officers have the vote in this election (and branch secretaries where there is a Labour Link officer vacancy).
Below is the centre left election address and slate which I support. We have a fantastic full range of candidates (apart from me of course!) this year from across the region. Also, we find that there are other good candidates standing who we were not aware of when drawing up the slate. However, I would urge people to support the slate and no-one else. Next year we need to sort things out earlier. (This post is in my personal capacity etc. etc.)
ELECTION ADDRESS: REGIONAL LABOUR LINK COMMITTEE
Margaret Back, Louise Couling, Theresa Debono, Florence Portugal, Irene Stacey & Rachel Voller
Bill Beekoo, John Gough, John Gray, Alan Griffiths, Ian Horrigan
We are current members of the Regional Labour Link Committee seeking re-election.
We believe that UNISON’s APF payers’ views are best represented by those who place members’ interests first – above those of extreme political parties and factions.
We must continue to support the links we have with Labour - for all its faults Labour is delivering improvements for our members. We need to do more - we must champion trade union issues, move these further up the political agenda and use our influence in the Labour Party to promote UNISON aims and campaigns.
As active members of UNISON and the Party we are committed to improving communication between members and those elected to represent them, making sure the voice of UNISON members is heard loud & clear.
Labour Link has established a solid record of success and has:
Lobbied London Labour MP’s on key issues such as Pensions, the NHS and cuts in public services.
Been part of the TULO strategy campaigning for the re-election of Ken Livingstone as Mayor and Labour GLA candidates
Continued to work with both Barking & Dagenham in the fight against the far right
Continued to develop links with MP’s Jeremy Corbyn, Sadiq Khan, Keith Hill and Lyn Brown.
If elected we will carry on the work we have started to
Support the Party but also campaign for or against change where it impacts on our members,
Ensure that Labour Link becomes more visible – within the union and the party,
Ensure our influence goes from strength to strength.
Please also support those of us who are standing for other positions
In the order my ballot papers arrived yesterday. Please “tick” boxes!
1st. GREATER LONDON LABOUR REGIONAL COMMITTEE 2008: FEMALE SEAT (6 VOTES - Pink ballot paper)
1. BACK, MARGARET
3. COULING, LOUSIE
4. DEBONO, TERESA
8. PORTUGAL, FLORENCE
9. STACEY, IRENE
10. VOLLER, RACHEL2nd.
REGIONAL LONDON LABOUR REGIONAL COMMITTEE: MALE SEATS (5 VOTES - Blue Ballot Paper)
1. BEEKOO, BILL
3. GOUGH, JOHN
4. GRAY, JOHN
5. GRIFFITHS, ALAN
6. HORRIGAN, IAN
3rd. GREATER LONDON LABOUR LINK NATIONAL LABOUR LINK FORUM: FEMALE SEATS (5 VOTES – Light yellow ballot paper)
2. BACK, MARGARET
4. COULING, LOUISE
7. PORTUGAL, FLORENCE
8. STACEY, IRENE
9. VOLLER, RACHEL
4th. GREATER LONDON LABOUR LINK NATIONAL LABOUR LINK FORUM: MALES SEATS (3 VOTES – Lilac paper)
1. BEEKOO, BILL
3. GRIFFITHS, ALAN
7. RUSSELL, NICHOLAS
5th. LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE: GENERAL SEAT (1 VOTE – Dark yellow ballot paper)
Choice of two excellent candidates (I understand that Margaret Back has withdrawn? Need to check)
2. COULING, LOUISE
Or
4. STACEY, IRENE
6th NOMINATION FOR STANDING ORDER COMMITTEE 2008/2009 (1 VOTE orange paper)
2. PORTUGAL, FLORENCE
12 comments:
“Also, we find that there are other good candidates standing who we were not aware of when drawing up the slate.”
This is an interesting comment, should have asked me, I knew who was standing apart from those on your slate. So does that mean I am supporting at least some “good candidates” in your view?
As for the election address I am surprised to see Jeremy Corbyn mentioned, you and Rachael said he was an obscure back bench MP whom we should not form alliances with, only six months ago!
Btw apologies for starting my post on Jon’s Blog the same, did not see yours until after I posted.
Off thread, but isn't it interesting how Jon Rogers slags off UNISON for the valentine's day card stunt - which may be a little less than imaginative admittedly - but (i) doesn't manage to come up with a single alternative suggestion himself; and (ii) when pressed will doubtless be a part of the useless dull chorus which just goes on and on about holding marches in London as a solution to almost every issue that crops up? Hardly leadership, is it? Or imaginative. But then the hard left have never been known for their creativity, preferring instead to simply regurgitate the failed ideas and activities of their long-dead heroes. Which have been shown not to have worked already! What a slogan "If it never worked - let's adopt it!"
Enjoy the weekend.
Hi Andrew
If I remember rightly that was a dig at "McNoHoper" rather than our beloved Jeremy. After all it was his own Islington North (and your own) CLP that voted to nominate Gordon as Party leader.
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Here is great link for your website....good comment on this miserable Govt...ten out of ten Gordon... http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7240000/newsid_7247500/7247565.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&asb=1&news=1&bbcws=1
Hi anon
Personally, I don’t think that using the parental grief to score sectarian political points is appropriate.
At least have the courage to post such things in your own real name.
Well the link is to the parent of a soldier killed in Afghanistan - his father said it was down to the parsimonious chancellor and Prime Mimnister Gordon Brown - presumably you have no issue with him making exactly the same point?
Wake up and smell the coffee.
Hmm - actually I thought the Valentine card was rubbish and unimaginative as well -and said so.Well why not use Mother's day or International Women's Day to highight the issues around low paid women who have to pay for increasingly expensive child care if they want to work? Women who tend to do more part time low paid work in privatised care areas such as Fremantle looking after the most vulnerable in society? Sisters may be trying to do it for themselves but we need some more help from UNISON and Labour Link which -on the whole -seems to act like a very private and uninformative club within UNISON.( But I do thank John G -unique amongst the LL lot -for his reports back)Kat
Hi Anon
“Well the link is to the parent of a soldier killed in Afghanistan....”
No, the Father of this soldier has an absolute right (rightly or wrongly) to do so in any way he sees fit.
You don’t.
You are less of a man (?) if you think you do.
Hi Kat
“Hmm - actually I thought the Valentine card was rubbish and unimaginative...”
While it is not my role to defend National UNISON media campaigns I actually think that the Valentine card thingy was not all that bad. If this was all UNISON did all year round then that would be something.
However, from what I can see UNISON is very proactive at campaigning across the year.
I think it is a little “off”(to say the least) for Jon R, especially as a NEC member, to slag off the union in such a way. He should at least be honest with his motives. But there you go.
Yes, you are quite right that we should use Mothers day and International Womens day etc to progress campaign. But I thought the Union did? Google both events at the UNISON web site? Lots going on, but how much is taken up by the national media???
Mind you - Thanks for the plug!
Sorry...I have every right to make the comment..its my taxes paying for the bleedin war...the Government are supposed to be taking this action on our behalf...Brown acted shamelessly over his lack of funding and support for the forces for years..the chiefs of staff said so, and so do many families of the bereaved. Its not good enough that Labour first commit these troops and then fail to fund them properly..I'm not surprised that you don't want anyone to comment. Just imagine if these troops were in a Union? You'd have something to say then! Its pathetic really.
Hi Anon
Yes, you do have the right to say what you seem fit on this subject (subject to law). It’s the preying on those who have lost loved ones which I find distasteful. I can personally remember the public pain of parents talking in very similar terms about the deaths of their sons in Ulster, Falklands and Bosnia etc
You appear to be confusing support for the war(s) with their funding and procurement? Bearing in mind the ending of the cold war I simply don’t accept that the Armed forces have been underfunded. There is an age old problem with procurement. Ironically, it would appear that the real problems lie within a conservative and hidebound MOD which is unhealthily dominated by retired senior officers... Discuss.
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