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| Ed Miliband plans spending cap on Labour candidates selection process | Ed Miliband plans spending cap on Labour candidates selection process |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Ed Miliband in his first practical response to the allegations of vote rigging by Unite in the Falkirk selection process is to introduce a cap on all spending in Labour contests for parliamentary selections. He is also to rewrite a code of conduct on behaviour for candidates. | Ed Miliband in his first practical response to the allegations of vote rigging by Unite in the Falkirk selection process is to introduce a cap on all spending in Labour contests for parliamentary selections. He is also to rewrite a code of conduct on behaviour for candidates. |
| The reforms are the first of a wave of changes designed to strengthen the relationship between trade unionists who pay a political levy and the party – and to put less power in the hands of union leaders. | The reforms are the first of a wave of changes designed to strengthen the relationship between trade unionists who pay a political levy and the party – and to put less power in the hands of union leaders. |
| The Labour leader will make a wider speech setting out these changes during the week, but they are not intended to break the link between the unions and the party, or set in train such a process. | The Labour leader will make a wider speech setting out these changes during the week, but they are not intended to break the link between the unions and the party, or set in train such a process. |
| There is still a dispute across the party whether the alleged abuse was confined to individual's misconduct in Falkirk, or instead a wider systemic failing that reveals the current shape of the institutional link between party and unions that damages both institutions. | There is still a dispute across the party whether the alleged abuse was confined to individual's misconduct in Falkirk, or instead a wider systemic failing that reveals the current shape of the institutional link between party and unions that damages both institutions. |
| The four main additional reforms being canvassed are: | |
| • Introducing open primaries for parliamentary contests so the public chooses the party candidates from a list drawn up by the local party | • Introducing open primaries for parliamentary contests so the public chooses the party candidates from a list drawn up by the local party |
| • Ensuring Labour has access to the addresses of individual union political levy payers, something unions have denied the party for a variety of administrative and data protection reasons | • Ensuring Labour has access to the addresses of individual union political levy payers, something unions have denied the party for a variety of administrative and data protection reasons |
| • Shortening the length of parliamentary selection contests so the potential advantage to candidates with the support of union machines is reduced. Some of this may be changed by introducing the proposed cap on spending in support of any candidate | • Shortening the length of parliamentary selection contests so the potential advantage to candidates with the support of union machines is reduced. Some of this may be changed by introducing the proposed cap on spending in support of any candidate |
| • Switching to a contracting in method of paying the political levy, as opposed to the current system of opting out. Labour opposed the move during the cross-party talks on political funding that ended last Thursday. The party and unions have both feared the change would reduce the party coffers as union political funds lose income. The unions were responsible for just over 20% of Labour's income in the last quarter. | • Switching to a contracting in method of paying the political levy, as opposed to the current system of opting out. Labour opposed the move during the cross-party talks on political funding that ended last Thursday. The party and unions have both feared the change would reduce the party coffers as union political funds lose income. The unions were responsible for just over 20% of Labour's income in the last quarter. |
| Miliband will set out his further thinking in a speech this week, but under relentless pressure from the Conservatives is said to be determined to act in his own time. | Miliband will set out his further thinking in a speech this week, but under relentless pressure from the Conservatives is said to be determined to act in his own time. |
| There is real irritation across the shadow cabinet at the way in which Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, has handled the issue. | There is real irritation across the shadow cabinet at the way in which Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, has handled the issue. |
| Former Labour minister Lord Reid took the most dramatic view of the issue, claiming on Sunday that Miliband was involved in a battle for the party's survival. Reid said the struggle had been brought to the Labour leader and not sought by him owing to behaviour of a small group of union leaders who wanted to take the party back to the 1980s. He praised Miliband for taking decisive action in recent weeks. | Former Labour minister Lord Reid took the most dramatic view of the issue, claiming on Sunday that Miliband was involved in a battle for the party's survival. Reid said the struggle had been brought to the Labour leader and not sought by him owing to behaviour of a small group of union leaders who wanted to take the party back to the 1980s. He praised Miliband for taking decisive action in recent weeks. |
| Harriet Harman, the Labour deputy leader, stressed there was no plan to break the link with the unions, and indicated that the controversial selection in Falkirk was a one off. She said wider reforms will be introduced and that McCluskey "should be supporting Ed to support the integrity of the rules of the party, [and] not simply saying, 'Oh these allegations, I'm going to sweep them aside.'" She backed a cap on the amount candidates can spend in contests to win Labour nominations in constituencies. | Harriet Harman, the Labour deputy leader, stressed there was no plan to break the link with the unions, and indicated that the controversial selection in Falkirk was a one off. She said wider reforms will be introduced and that McCluskey "should be supporting Ed to support the integrity of the rules of the party, [and] not simply saying, 'Oh these allegations, I'm going to sweep them aside.'" She backed a cap on the amount candidates can spend in contests to win Labour nominations in constituencies. |
| She said: "Things like a cap on spending will be a significant change for the right reasons. It is very important that people cannot be ruled out of a contest because they can't get the backing of a union or have their own independent funds." | She said: "Things like a cap on spending will be a significant change for the right reasons. It is very important that people cannot be ruled out of a contest because they can't get the backing of a union or have their own independent funds." |
| Harman said she had been forced to take out a second mortgage on her home to fund her campaign to become deputy leader because she was not backed by a union. "Most people are not in a position where they can actually do that," she said. | Harman said she had been forced to take out a second mortgage on her home to fund her campaign to become deputy leader because she was not backed by a union. "Most people are not in a position where they can actually do that," she said. |
| She said unions keep the party in touch with working class people, saying: "Those of us who are in the Labour party all want to see the voice of ordinary working people heard in the corridors of power. | She said unions keep the party in touch with working class people, saying: "Those of us who are in the Labour party all want to see the voice of ordinary working people heard in the corridors of power. |
| "That is absolutely fundamental. But the way to do that is not to have abuse of the membership system or indeed to have a membership system which leaves itself open to abuse." | "That is absolutely fundamental. But the way to do that is not to have abuse of the membership system or indeed to have a membership system which leaves itself open to abuse." |
| McCluskey was "absolutely wrong to say that the investigation did not turn up allegations without foundation", she continued. | McCluskey was "absolutely wrong to say that the investigation did not turn up allegations without foundation", she continued. |
| "Just as if there was a breach of the rules within his union, his members would expect him to make sure the rules were obeyed and the integrity of the union upheld, so if there are allegations of a membership breach in the Labour party, the duty of the leader absolutely, and that is what Ed Miliband is doing, is upholding those rules." | "Just as if there was a breach of the rules within his union, his members would expect him to make sure the rules were obeyed and the integrity of the union upheld, so if there are allegations of a membership breach in the Labour party, the duty of the leader absolutely, and that is what Ed Miliband is doing, is upholding those rules." |
| Reid said: "This is a problem with one or two trade union bosses and it's the nature of the alleged misuse of that power that's being investigated. | Reid said: "This is a problem with one or two trade union bosses and it's the nature of the alleged misuse of that power that's being investigated. |
| "In five weeks Labour has suspended the selection process where there's allegations it went wrong, it has frozen the membership, Labour has suspended two people at the middle of it, they have opened an inquiry, concluded an inquiry, referred it to the police. | "In five weeks Labour has suspended the selection process where there's allegations it went wrong, it has frozen the membership, Labour has suspended two people at the middle of it, they have opened an inquiry, concluded an inquiry, referred it to the police. |
| "If you contrast that speed of action over the period of weeks with, for instance, how long it took David Cameron to get rid of a man who is now charged with perjury and corruption and so on, I think it has been a decisive … Ed Miliband has acted decisively." | "If you contrast that speed of action over the period of weeks with, for instance, how long it took David Cameron to get rid of a man who is now charged with perjury and corruption and so on, I think it has been a decisive … Ed Miliband has acted decisively." |
| Reid added: "This is not just an organisational problem. This is a discussion, debate, it is a challenge between those – like Len McCluskey – who want to take Labour back to the 70s and 80s where it represents one sectional interest, it becomes the weak echo of every industrial demand or the few trade union bosses, and Ed Miliband and the rest of the Labour party who want us to move forward to reach out across sectional interest to every part of the country, across class, across geography." | Reid added: "This is not just an organisational problem. This is a discussion, debate, it is a challenge between those – like Len McCluskey – who want to take Labour back to the 70s and 80s where it represents one sectional interest, it becomes the weak echo of every industrial demand or the few trade union bosses, and Ed Miliband and the rest of the Labour party who want us to move forward to reach out across sectional interest to every part of the country, across class, across geography." |