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| Tony Blair praises Ed Miliband's plan to reform Labour-union link | Tony Blair praises Ed Miliband's plan to reform Labour-union link |
| (2 months later) | |
| Ed Miliband's plan to reform the union-Labour link have been embraced by Tony Blair, who described it as a "bold and strong" move. | Ed Miliband's plan to reform the union-Labour link have been embraced by Tony Blair, who described it as a "bold and strong" move. |
| The former prime minister said on Sky News: "I think this is a defining moment. It's bold and it's strong. It's real leadership, this. I think it's important not only in its own terms, because he's carrying through a process of reform in the Labour party that is long overdue and, frankly, probably I should have done it when I was leader." | The former prime minister said on Sky News: "I think this is a defining moment. It's bold and it's strong. It's real leadership, this. I think it's important not only in its own terms, because he's carrying through a process of reform in the Labour party that is long overdue and, frankly, probably I should have done it when I was leader." |
| As union leaders lined up to criticise Miliband for embracing "dog whistle politics" that were not the concern of the ordinary voter, Blair said it was an act of leadership. | As union leaders lined up to criticise Miliband for embracing "dog whistle politics" that were not the concern of the ordinary voter, Blair said it was an act of leadership. |
| "What he's doing, and I think this is also very important for the country, is that he's sending a very strong message to the country that in the end he will do what's right, he'll govern for all the country and not simply for one section of it. This is big stuff and it takes a real act of leadership to do it." | "What he's doing, and I think this is also very important for the country, is that he's sending a very strong message to the country that in the end he will do what's right, he'll govern for all the country and not simply for one section of it. This is big stuff and it takes a real act of leadership to do it." |
| But in the first sign of the scale of the struggle facing Miliband to push through the reforms, Billy Hayes, the Communication Workers Union general secretary, rejected the proposals and questioned whether they would be accepted by the party. | But in the first sign of the scale of the struggle facing Miliband to push through the reforms, Billy Hayes, the Communication Workers Union general secretary, rejected the proposals and questioned whether they would be accepted by the party. |
| It is likely the unions will insist they will require changes to the party rules, and so may require the Labour leader to win a majority at the party conference where the unions have half the vote. Changes to party rules take as long as two years to bring into effect. | It is likely the unions will insist they will require changes to the party rules, and so may require the Labour leader to win a majority at the party conference where the unions have half the vote. Changes to party rules take as long as two years to bring into effect. |
| Miliband has proposed that individual political levy payers choose to affiliate to the party rather than being automatically affiliated at £3 a time by union headquarters. Hayes said the proposal was "a very old-fashioned idea" that had first been put forward by Stanley Baldwin in 1927. | Miliband has proposed that individual political levy payers choose to affiliate to the party rather than being automatically affiliated at £3 a time by union headquarters. Hayes said the proposal was "a very old-fashioned idea" that had first been put forward by Stanley Baldwin in 1927. |
| Hayes said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The big problem in British politics is posh people's politics – that ordinary people do not have say in what is going in political parties. The one thing trades unions do though their activities is give a focus on what is happening in the workplace. Some of the biggest changes in politics has been due to the direct link between trades unions and political parties." | Hayes said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The big problem in British politics is posh people's politics – that ordinary people do not have say in what is going in political parties. The one thing trades unions do though their activities is give a focus on what is happening in the workplace. Some of the biggest changes in politics has been due to the direct link between trades unions and political parties." |
| He defended the current relationship, saying people could opt out of paying the levy if they choose. Hayes added: "This is all about dog whistles. This is about sending out a signal there is a problem in the relationship with the trades unions – nothing excites the political class more than an attack on the trade union movement. This is what is happening There are some people in the party that have a great deal of difficulty dealing with ordinary working people." | He defended the current relationship, saying people could opt out of paying the levy if they choose. Hayes added: "This is all about dog whistles. This is about sending out a signal there is a problem in the relationship with the trades unions – nothing excites the political class more than an attack on the trade union movement. This is what is happening There are some people in the party that have a great deal of difficulty dealing with ordinary working people." |
| Asked whether the unions would accept the proposals, Hayes said: "We are going to make sure our voice is heard. Let's see what happens in the process." | Asked whether the unions would accept the proposals, Hayes said: "We are going to make sure our voice is heard. Let's see what happens in the process." |
| He rejected the idea of primaries in which registered supporters, and not just full party members, are allowed to vote in party elections. "Primaries in the States have led to lots of rich people dominating the politics," he said. | He rejected the idea of primaries in which registered supporters, and not just full party members, are allowed to vote in party elections. "Primaries in the States have led to lots of rich people dominating the politics," he said. |
| He claimed Miliband's initiative was off the back of one constituency selection problem. He said he did not know the ins and outs of what had happened in the seat, but pointed out that it was not the first time there had been a problem with a constituency selection. | He claimed Miliband's initiative was off the back of one constituency selection problem. He said he did not know the ins and outs of what had happened in the seat, but pointed out that it was not the first time there had been a problem with a constituency selection. |
| Miliband will say on Tuesday that his reforms mean turning the party's back on unpopular "machine politics". The proposals to recast the union link put his leadership on the line and may be criticised as a diversion of Labour's energies less than two years before a general election. | Miliband will say on Tuesday that his reforms mean turning the party's back on unpopular "machine politics". The proposals to recast the union link put his leadership on the line and may be criticised as a diversion of Labour's energies less than two years before a general election. |
| Miliband will argue that the proposals are not designed to break the link with the unions but instead to reinvigorate politics. He will say: "What we saw in Falkirk is the death throes of the old politics. It is a symbol of what is wrong with politics. That was a politics closed, a politics of the machine, a politics hated and rightly so." | Miliband will argue that the proposals are not designed to break the link with the unions but instead to reinvigorate politics. He will say: "What we saw in Falkirk is the death throes of the old politics. It is a symbol of what is wrong with politics. That was a politics closed, a politics of the machine, a politics hated and rightly so." |
| Unite's general secretary, Len McCluskey, writing in the Guardian, defended his union's actions, albeit in more emollient language than before. | Unite's general secretary, Len McCluskey, writing in the Guardian, defended his union's actions, albeit in more emollient language than before. |
| "If Ed Miliband wants to find ways to get more individual trade unionists active in the party, exercising their own judgment on policy and people, I would join with him," he wrote. "Done right, this could be a 21st-century way of ensuring working-class influence in the party, just as traditional affiliation has been hitherto." | "If Ed Miliband wants to find ways to get more individual trade unionists active in the party, exercising their own judgment on policy and people, I would join with him," he wrote. "Done right, this could be a 21st-century way of ensuring working-class influence in the party, just as traditional affiliation has been hitherto." |
| The Labour leader's plans have the longer-term potential to reinvigorate cross-party talks on the funding of political parties. Labour had been opposed to giving trade unionists who pay the political levy the right to choose whether to opt in before some of their dues were used to fund the party. | The Labour leader's plans have the longer-term potential to reinvigorate cross-party talks on the funding of political parties. Labour had been opposed to giving trade unionists who pay the political levy the right to choose whether to opt in before some of their dues were used to fund the party. |
| Miliband is preparing to insist that "Labour wants a closer relationship with millions of working people affiliated to the party through the trade union link". But he is expected to add they "should no longer be automatically affiliated to the party, but choose as individuals whether they wish to do so". | Miliband is preparing to insist that "Labour wants a closer relationship with millions of working people affiliated to the party through the trade union link". But he is expected to add they "should no longer be automatically affiliated to the party, but choose as individuals whether they wish to do so". |
| He will add: "Trade unions should have political funds for all kinds of campaigns and activities as they choose. But I do not want any individual to be paying money to the Labour party in affiliation fees unless they have deliberately chosen to do so. I believe we need people to be able to make a more active individual choice on whether they affiliate to the Labour party." | He will add: "Trade unions should have political funds for all kinds of campaigns and activities as they choose. But I do not want any individual to be paying money to the Labour party in affiliation fees unless they have deliberately chosen to do so. I believe we need people to be able to make a more active individual choice on whether they affiliate to the Labour party." |
| In his second major reform he will propose US-style primaries for parliamentary and mayoral posts in which registered supporters, as well as full party members, are able to vote. An individual will be able to register for free, or at a minimal sum, deploying a model used by France's Socialist party successfully during its French presidential campaigns. | In his second major reform he will propose US-style primaries for parliamentary and mayoral posts in which registered supporters, as well as full party members, are able to vote. An individual will be able to register for free, or at a minimal sum, deploying a model used by France's Socialist party successfully during its French presidential campaigns. |
| Miliband says that in the case of the London mayoral election in 2016, Labour will choose its candidate through a primary, where voters will either be party members or register as supporters "up to the day of the ballot". | Miliband says that in the case of the London mayoral election in 2016, Labour will choose its candidate through a primary, where voters will either be party members or register as supporters "up to the day of the ballot". |
| He says he will examine how the same idea can be used "where a sitting MP is retiring and where there are not sufficient members of the local party to make this a properly representative selection process". | He says he will examine how the same idea can be used "where a sitting MP is retiring and where there are not sufficient members of the local party to make this a properly representative selection process". |
| Party officials said the proposal to switch to a system of union political levy payers opting into affiliation of the party may see Labour take a financial hit. Most union day-to-day funding of Labour comes through bulk affiliation of its levy payers, a payment that also gives unions votes at party conference. | Party officials said the proposal to switch to a system of union political levy payers opting into affiliation of the party may see Labour take a financial hit. Most union day-to-day funding of Labour comes through bulk affiliation of its levy payers, a payment that also gives unions votes at party conference. |
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