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Ed Miliband urges 'historic' changes to Labour links with unions Miliband urges 'historic' changes to Labour's union links
(about 2 hours later)
Ed Miliband has pledged to end the automatic "affiliation" fee paid by three million union members to Labour, in what he called a "historic" move. Ed Miliband has pledged to end the automatic "affiliation" fee paid by three million union members to Labour.
The Labour leader said union members must make a "deliberate" choice to back the party and be active supporters. It comes after the Unite union was accused of trying to rig the selection of the party's parliamentary candidate for Falkirk.
A row over the Unite union's influence on candidate selection in Falkirk was "the death throes of old politics". The Labour leader said changing its link with the unions would mean an end to "machine politics".
But Unite's leader appeared to contradict the idea that Mr Miliband wanted to end the affiliation fee. But Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said the fee - worth £8m a year to Labour - would "stay as it is".
Under the current system, members of supportive unions pay an automatic levy to Labour, unless they choose to opt out. Under the current system, members of supportive unions pay an automatic levy to Labour, unless they choose to opt out. Labour insiders estimate making it non-automatic would cost the party about £5m.
The fees are worth about £8m a year to the party and insiders estimate making them non-automatic would cost it about £5m.
'Transparent''Transparent'
In his speech in London, Mr Miliband proposed that only those union members who "deliberately" chose to join the party in future would do so. In his speech in London, Mr Miliband proposed that only those union members who "deliberately" chose to join the party in future would do so.
The announcement came after Unite, one of the party's biggest donors, was accused of signing up its members to Labour in Falkirk - some without their knowledge - in an effort to get its preferred candidate selected.The announcement came after Unite, one of the party's biggest donors, was accused of signing up its members to Labour in Falkirk - some without their knowledge - in an effort to get its preferred candidate selected.
Mr Miliband promised to make politics more "open, transparent and trusted" by creating a "modern" relationship with trade unions, saying he wanted "to take action and seize the moment that Falkirk represents".Mr Miliband promised to make politics more "open, transparent and trusted" by creating a "modern" relationship with trade unions, saying he wanted "to take action and seize the moment that Falkirk represents".
The changes would be introduced as "soon as possible" and definitely before the next general election, Mr Miliband said. An aide later said this should happen "within months, rather than years".The changes would be introduced as "soon as possible" and definitely before the next general election, Mr Miliband said. An aide later said this should happen "within months, rather than years".
But Unite general secretary Len McCluskey told BBC Radio 4's World at One there was "no civil war" within the Labour movement. But Mr McCluskey told BBC Radio 4's World at One there was "no civil war" within the Labour movement.
He added that, in his speech, Mr Miliband "did not mention anything" about losing the political levy, which "would stay as it is". He added that, in his speech, Mr Miliband "did not mention anything" about losing the political levy from unions, which "would stay as it is".
Instead, Mr McCluskey argued, the Labour leader wanted to add a "second option", allowing union members to become an associate member of Labour - allowing them to show a stronger commitment to the party.Instead, Mr McCluskey argued, the Labour leader wanted to add a "second option", allowing union members to become an associate member of Labour - allowing them to show a stronger commitment to the party.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said this showed Mr Mr Mcluskey did not believe Mr Miliband was proposing a "dismantling" of the current system.
In his speech, Mr Miliband said: "What we saw in Falkirk is part of the death throes of the old politics. It is a symbol of what is wrong with politics. I want to build a better Labour Party - and build a better politics for Britain.In his speech, Mr Miliband said: "What we saw in Falkirk is part of the death throes of the old politics. It is a symbol of what is wrong with politics. I want to build a better Labour Party - and build a better politics for Britain.
"There is no place in our party for bad practice wherever it comes from. I am determined to uphold the integrity of this party." "There is no place in our party for bad practice, wherever it comes from. I am determined to uphold the integrity of this party."
Mr Miliband said unions should have political funds "for all kinds of campaigns and activities as they choose" but individual members should not pay Labour any fees "unless they have deliberately chosen to do so".Mr Miliband said unions should have political funds "for all kinds of campaigns and activities as they choose" but individual members should not pay Labour any fees "unless they have deliberately chosen to do so".
He added: "We need to do more, not less, to mobilise individual trade union members to be part of our party... The problem is not that these ordinary working men and women dominate the Labour Party. The problem is that they are not properly part of all that we do.He added: "We need to do more, not less, to mobilise individual trade union members to be part of our party... The problem is not that these ordinary working men and women dominate the Labour Party. The problem is that they are not properly part of all that we do.
"They are not members of local parties; they are not active in our campaigns. I believe we need people to be able to make a more active, individual, choice on whether they affiliate to the Labour Party.""They are not members of local parties; they are not active in our campaigns. I believe we need people to be able to make a more active, individual, choice on whether they affiliate to the Labour Party."
'Defining moment'
Mr Miliband said former Labour Party general secretary Ray Collins who, as a TGWU official, helped steer the merger with Amicus to create the Unite union, will lead discussions with the trade unions on the plan.Mr Miliband said former Labour Party general secretary Ray Collins who, as a TGWU official, helped steer the merger with Amicus to create the Unite union, will lead discussions with the trade unions on the plan.
The Labour leader said the changes would have "massive financial implications" for the party. The Labour leader said the changes would have "massive financial implications" for the party, but could raise the current membership from the current 200,000 to a "far higher number".
'Strict'
However, the change could raise the current Labour membership from the current 200,000 to a "far higher number", Mr Miliband said.
He also promised to look at holding open "primaries", where all adults, not just party members, can vote for the selection of a candidate in their constituency, including possibly in Falkirk.He also promised to look at holding open "primaries", where all adults, not just party members, can vote for the selection of a candidate in their constituency, including possibly in Falkirk.
He said such a system would be used to choose Labour's runner for the London mayoralty in 2016 - with anyone in the capital who registers as a party supporter getting a vote.He said such a system would be used to choose Labour's runner for the London mayoralty in 2016 - with anyone in the capital who registers as a party supporter getting a vote.
Mr Miliband also said there should be curbs on the amount that MPs earn from outside interests and rules to stop conflicts of interest.Mr Miliband also said there should be curbs on the amount that MPs earn from outside interests and rules to stop conflicts of interest.
One union leader said making the political levy voluntary had first been tried by Conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin in the 1920s and repealed by the Labour government in the late 1940s. Former Prime Minister and Labour leader Tony Blair suggested the changes could be a "defining moment" for the party and said they would send a "very strong message" to the public that Mr Miliband would "govern for for all the country and not simply one section of it."
"It is not a new idea," the CWU's Billy Hayes told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "It was introduced to weaken the trade unions' links with Labour. People have the right to opt out if they want to. I don't think it is a good idea."
But Former Prime Minister and Labour leader Tony Blair suggested the changes could be a "defining moment" for the party and said it would send a "very strong message" to the public that Mr Miliband would "govern for for all the country and not simply one section of it".
"It is bold and strong. It is real leadership," he told Sky News. "I think it is important not only in its own terms but... he is carrying through a process of reforms in the Labour Party that are long overdue and probably I should have done when I was leader."
The Conservatives say Labour should refuse to take any more money from the unions until an entirely new system of funding is agreed.The Conservatives say Labour should refuse to take any more money from the unions until an entirely new system of funding is agreed.
Party chairman Grant Shapps said Mr Miliband had been "pushed into giving this speech" and that "nothing" had changed.Party chairman Grant Shapps said Mr Miliband had been "pushed into giving this speech" and that "nothing" had changed.
He added: "Under Ed Miliband's proposals, Len McCluskey would still bankroll the Labour Party, pick Labour's candidates, and still elect Labour's leader.
"It's still the same old Labour Party: a weak leader in the pocket of the union bosses who's unable to stand up for hardworking people."