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Ed Miliband ramps up war of words with Unite over Falkirk selection Ed Miliband ramps up war of words with Unite over Falkirk selection
(3 months later)
Ed Miliband has warned that the controversial parliamentary selection process in Falkirk may have involved corruption as the gloves came off in the Labour leadership's confrontation with the Unite trade union.Ed Miliband has warned that the controversial parliamentary selection process in Falkirk may have involved corruption as the gloves came off in the Labour leadership's confrontation with the Unite trade union.
In a significant hardening of the party's rhetoric against Britain's largest trade union, Miliband warned that he would not tolerate any "malpractice, bad practice or even corrupt practice" within the Labour party.In a significant hardening of the party's rhetoric against Britain's largest trade union, Miliband warned that he would not tolerate any "malpractice, bad practice or even corrupt practice" within the Labour party.
The Labour leader turned on Unite after Len McCluskey, the union's general secretary, launched an extraordinary attack on the party leadership for dancing to a Tory tune. Speaking in a hospital car park in Trafford, Manchester, McCluskey said: "The Labour leadership is now being caught up in anti-union Tory hysteria. I am as amazed as everybody else is at this."The Labour leader turned on Unite after Len McCluskey, the union's general secretary, launched an extraordinary attack on the party leadership for dancing to a Tory tune. Speaking in a hospital car park in Trafford, Manchester, McCluskey said: "The Labour leadership is now being caught up in anti-union Tory hysteria. I am as amazed as everybody else is at this."
The war of words between Miliband and Labour's largest union paymaster, whose support was decisive in winning him the party leadership in 2010, is being seen as a decisive moment by senior party figures. Miliband has decided that the allegations about Falkirk – and McCluskey's aggressive response – give him a chance to show his mettle as leader.The war of words between Miliband and Labour's largest union paymaster, whose support was decisive in winning him the party leadership in 2010, is being seen as a decisive moment by senior party figures. Miliband has decided that the allegations about Falkirk – and McCluskey's aggressive response – give him a chance to show his mettle as leader.
One senior figure said: "Ed didn't choose this battle. But you can be absolutely certain that, now it has started, Ed will win."One senior figure said: "Ed didn't choose this battle. But you can be absolutely certain that, now it has started, Ed will win."
The first step will come over the next few weeks when Miliband indicates that he is prepared to examine Labour's historic link with the trade union movement. This will mark a momentous step – hinted at by supporters of Tony Blair but ducked by the former prime minister – that could forever change the face of a party that grew out of the early trade unions.The first step will come over the next few weeks when Miliband indicates that he is prepared to examine Labour's historic link with the trade union movement. This will mark a momentous step – hinted at by supporters of Tony Blair but ducked by the former prime minister – that could forever change the face of a party that grew out of the early trade unions.
But Miliband, who has made no final decisions, believes that his crusade against what he has called unaccountable power has to apply consistently. If he is to rail against "powerful vested interests", such as banks, energy companies and Rupert Murdoch, then so too must trade unions enter his sights.But Miliband, who has made no final decisions, believes that his crusade against what he has called unaccountable power has to apply consistently. If he is to rail against "powerful vested interests", such as banks, energy companies and Rupert Murdoch, then so too must trade unions enter his sights.
Comparisons were inevitably being drawn with what has gone down in history as Blair's "Clause IV" moment when the newly elected Labour leader announced that he would rewrite Labour's historic commitment to ensure the common ownership of the means of production. There is one key difference: Blair chose his moment and caught his party by surprise, even leaving the announcement out of the version of his speech distributed to the press.Comparisons were inevitably being drawn with what has gone down in history as Blair's "Clause IV" moment when the newly elected Labour leader announced that he would rewrite Labour's historic commitment to ensure the common ownership of the means of production. There is one key difference: Blair chose his moment and caught his party by surprise, even leaving the announcement out of the version of his speech distributed to the press.
But Miliband's aides, who dislike comparisons with any Labour leaders from the recent past, hope that the two events will be similar at another level. Like Blair, he will be speaking from the heart. "People will discover a great deal about the character of Ed Miliband in the near future," one source said.But Miliband's aides, who dislike comparisons with any Labour leaders from the recent past, hope that the two events will be similar at another level. Like Blair, he will be speaking from the heart. "People will discover a great deal about the character of Ed Miliband in the near future," one source said.
A better comparison may be with the way the then Labour leader Neil Kinnock took on the Militant Tendency in the mid 1980s. McCluskey is no Trotskyite entryist – though he did support Militant as a Liverpool docker in the 1980s – but he has crossed a line that has given a Labour leader a chance to define himself against an unpopular force.A better comparison may be with the way the then Labour leader Neil Kinnock took on the Militant Tendency in the mid 1980s. McCluskey is no Trotskyite entryist – though he did support Militant as a Liverpool docker in the 1980s – but he has crossed a line that has given a Labour leader a chance to define himself against an unpopular force.
Kinnock took the most important step in wiping out Militant with one of the greatest political speeches of the postwar period when he denounced the "grotesque chaos of a Labour council – a Labour council – hiring taxis to scuttle round a city handing out redundancy notices to its own workers".Kinnock took the most important step in wiping out Militant with one of the greatest political speeches of the postwar period when he denounced the "grotesque chaos of a Labour council – a Labour council – hiring taxis to scuttle round a city handing out redundancy notices to its own workers".
Miliband would be the first person to admit that he is no orator in the mould of Kinnock, whose support helped him during the 2010 leadership contest.Miliband would be the first person to admit that he is no orator in the mould of Kinnock, whose support helped him during the 2010 leadership contest.
But his response will, aides say, show Miliband's own strengths: that he acts in a deliberative way. When he does act he does so decisively, as his former ally Tom Watson found out when the Labour leader phoned him on Thursday to say that the time had come for him to leave the frontbench, after the suspension from the party of his parliamentary aide, Karie Murphy, who was Unite's preferred candidate in Falkirk.But his response will, aides say, show Miliband's own strengths: that he acts in a deliberative way. When he does act he does so decisively, as his former ally Tom Watson found out when the Labour leader phoned him on Thursday to say that the time had come for him to leave the frontbench, after the suspension from the party of his parliamentary aide, Karie Murphy, who was Unite's preferred candidate in Falkirk.
Miliband's cautious response has left him vulnerable to Tory attacks that he has been slow to confront Unite. Officials acknowledged on Friday that Miliband knew about the allegations about irregularities in the Falkirk selection as far back as 17 May – the date when the selection process was suspended.Miliband's cautious response has left him vulnerable to Tory attacks that he has been slow to confront Unite. Officials acknowledged on Friday that Miliband knew about the allegations about irregularities in the Falkirk selection as far back as 17 May – the date when the selection process was suspended.
But it took until Friday for the party to consult the procurator fiscal to ask how to proceed. Party officials say it took so long because it was only in the last 48 hours that a solicitor used by the party was consulted.But it took until Friday for the party to consult the procurator fiscal to ask how to proceed. Party officials say it took so long because it was only in the last 48 hours that a solicitor used by the party was consulted.
Miliband and other senior party officials met the solicitor in his Westminster office on Thursday. But the Labour leader called for the matter to be referred to the authorities before receiving the solicitor's report. "Ed decided this morning and he had a simple message: get on with it," one aide said.Miliband and other senior party officials met the solicitor in his Westminster office on Thursday. But the Labour leader called for the matter to be referred to the authorities before receiving the solicitor's report. "Ed decided this morning and he had a simple message: get on with it," one aide said.
This explained why Miliband called on McCluskey, whose union machine helped deliver the Labour leadership to him, to stop defending machine politics. Miliband said: "Instead of defending what happened in Falkirk, Len McCluskey should be facing up to his responsibilities. He should not be defending the machine politics involving bad practice that went on there, he should be facing up to it."This explained why Miliband called on McCluskey, whose union machine helped deliver the Labour leadership to him, to stop defending machine politics. Miliband said: "Instead of defending what happened in Falkirk, Len McCluskey should be facing up to his responsibilities. He should not be defending the machine politics involving bad practice that went on there, he should be facing up to it."
The leadership decided to refer the matter to the procurator fiscal after a report into the way in which unions – acting within party rules – pay the Labour party subscriptions of some union members for a short period. Documents emerged during this enquiry that suggested that in Falkirk some members may have been signed up without their knowledge.The leadership decided to refer the matter to the procurator fiscal after a report into the way in which unions – acting within party rules – pay the Labour party subscriptions of some union members for a short period. Documents emerged during this enquiry that suggested that in Falkirk some members may have been signed up without their knowledge.
One Labour source said: "Under the Union Join scheme it was within the rules for trade union members to join the party and have their membership fees paid for a short period of time by a union. The people they sign up must be signed up legitimately – they must knowingly and willingly join the party."One Labour source said: "Under the Union Join scheme it was within the rules for trade union members to join the party and have their membership fees paid for a short period of time by a union. The people they sign up must be signed up legitimately – they must knowingly and willingly join the party."
Labour may be open to criticism for acting slowly because the Herald on Sunday reported on 26 May that a family of three had been recruited even though only one agreed to join the party. The report contained allegations that two families, who together constituted fewer than 10 members, had been recruited to the party by the union – but that these new members were not aware that they had been signed up.Labour may be open to criticism for acting slowly because the Herald on Sunday reported on 26 May that a family of three had been recruited even though only one agreed to join the party. The report contained allegations that two families, who together constituted fewer than 10 members, had been recruited to the party by the union – but that these new members were not aware that they had been signed up.
While Murphy, Unite's favoured candidate, has been suspended, it is understood that Labour's report also contains allegations that another candidate also paid for recently recruited members.While Murphy, Unite's favoured candidate, has been suspended, it is understood that Labour's report also contains allegations that another candidate also paid for recently recruited members.
One of the non-Unite contenders recruited 11 new members and submitted a cheque for £137 to pay for their subscriptions, the report alleges. But because no one complained about this activity, no action has been taken by the party. The numbers involved may be relatively small but are significant because the constituency party had fewer than 200 members.One of the non-Unite contenders recruited 11 new members and submitted a cheque for £137 to pay for their subscriptions, the report alleges. But because no one complained about this activity, no action has been taken by the party. The numbers involved may be relatively small but are significant because the constituency party had fewer than 200 members.
Union officials remain sceptical over whether there will ever be a successful prosecution, saying that their members were recruiting people in line with Labour and Unite's policies of trying to recruit union members and their associates to Labour.Union officials remain sceptical over whether there will ever be a successful prosecution, saying that their members were recruiting people in line with Labour and Unite's policies of trying to recruit union members and their associates to Labour.
But party officials say that recruitment was worryingly high among union members. One member said she was approached by a union official in a pub. Some said they had received letters from Labour saying they were Labour members even though they had never applied.But party officials say that recruitment was worryingly high among union members. One member said she was approached by a union official in a pub. Some said they had received letters from Labour saying they were Labour members even though they had never applied.
One legacy of the saga will be that trade union leaders will need to be transparent about any personal conflicts of interest in the selection process. "We want people always to act in a fair and transparent way," one party source said.One legacy of the saga will be that trade union leaders will need to be transparent about any personal conflicts of interest in the selection process. "We want people always to act in a fair and transparent way," one party source said.
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