Defend Trade Union Rights

Ever since Tony Blair boasted that Britain had the most restrictive union laws in Eu- rope, the Conservatives have happily stoked the bonfire of trade union and workers’ rights.

In the dying days of Johnson’s Government, further attacks were made on the unions by changing the law to allow the use of agency labour to replace striking workers.

Truss has said that she will legislate for minimum service requirements where a striking union would be compelled to en

sure sufficient of its members were at work to provide a minimum service, in effect undermining their own industrial action.

Not to be left out, Kwasi Kwarteng has announced that every new offer made by an employer during a dispute will have to be put to a ballot of a union’s members – a charter for employers to never negotiate in good faith.

Anti-union laws or not, this summer’s strike wave has shown that workers are in the mood for fighting back. It is vital that Labour MPs, front or back bench, stand shoulder to shoulder with workers in struggle. The battle against the cost-of-liv- ing crisis demands unity in action across the labour movement.

We must defend and extend union rights and freedoms. There will be a major conference on union rights on 3rd December.

●To register go to Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/214k3ehv

Better Priorities

The CLP motions that called on MPs to join picket lines were put in the ”workers’ rights” category, which did not win the priorities ballot and will not be debated. This morning, we are due to de- bate “Better jobs and Better Work”. CLP delegates speaking in the “Better” debate may wish to suggest that MPs do join Better Picket Lines. It may be your only chance to air the issue this year.

You Can’t Silence the Voters

Yesterday, unfortunately, conference failed to remove from the PLP its power to block Islington North CLP from running a trigger ballot for their MP. This came after speakers wrongly suggested that removing this power from the PLP might allow MPs accused of sexual harassment to stand for re-selection.

This is nonsense: an MP accused of sexual harassment would be subject to the Party’s disciplinary procedures. Jeremy is not facing any party disciplinary charges. He is a Labour Party member and an MP and he should be a Labour candidate if his CLP reselects him. So much was clarified through a point of order. The NEC sat on the fence a bit, seeming to suggest that any- one facing allegations of sexual harassment would not necessarily be suspended, which is worrying in itself.

Meanwhile, Apsana Begum MP, a survivor of coercive control, says she has received no support from the Party in her attempts to ensure the selection in her CLP is fair.

The party leadership may be able to set its own rule and precedents, but if fair selections are not held, Labour risks losing both these safe seats and others, as voters are put off returning to Labour.

More Dodgy Dealings

●Despite Forde’s condemnation of staff playing a factional role in elections and apologies all round, rumour has reached Yellow Pages that old tricks were experi- enced at yesterday’s regional briefings and distribution of ballot papers.

Despite most delegations being called up together, at least one LtW delegate was called up to receive ballot papers before her fellow delegate, who is on the left, was called.

By the time the left delegate was called up to get papers, the LtW delegate had al- ready voted – without consulting her. It appears the left delegate has now been suspended for objecting to this state of af- fairs.

●PS: Yesterday Dodgy Dealings reported that both Hornsey and Wood Green CLP and Tottenham CLP have not had their delegates accepted. Apparently H&WG CLP has the largest constituency card vote in the Party, and Totenham CLP is amongst the largest.

●Do let us know if you’ve experienced any- thing similar. Forde was quite clear about staff needing to be impartial in internal decision making. info@clpd.org.uk

National Constitutional Committee (NCC)

CLP Section Vote for:

Daniel Blaney Khaled Moyeed Cecile Wright

National Constitutional Committee (NCC)

CLP Section Vote for:

Daniel Blaney Khaled Moyeed Cecile Wright

On the Fringe

CLPD’s assessment of conference

6.30pm, Tuesday, 27 September Friends Meeting House
22 School Lane, Liverpool L1 3BT

Speakers including:

Barry Gardiner MP,
Matt Wrack Gen Sec FBU
Yasmine Dar (NEC member)
Seema Chandwani (CAC member)
Billy Hayes (CAC member)
Mike Phipps
-¡Viva la solidaridad!

Latin America’s Left Leads the Way 6.30-8.00pm Monday, 26th September

Hard Days Night Hotel María José Pizarro, Colombian senator // John McDonnell MP // Julia Felmanas, Brazilian Workers’ Party // Diane Abbott MP // Claudia Turbet-Delof, Wiphalas Across the World, Bolivia // Dr. Francisco Dom- inguez // Simon Dubbins, Unite // Philip Liptrot, Thompsons Solicitors // Julie Lamin, Wirral NEU // Jess Bar- nard // Richard Burgon MP.

Open to all. Welcome drink on arrival & bar open throughout.
Labour For Irish Unity’s fringe meeting

‘A new and united Ireland – join the conversation’ 7pm, Monday 26th September

Quaker Meeting House,
22 School Lane, Liverpool, L1 3BT.

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