Now -read the book!

Here is a link to my memoirs which, if you are a glutton for punishment, you can purchase online at https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/an-obscure-footnote-in-trade-union-history.
Men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name. (William Morris - A Dream of John Ball)

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

New Labour's Retreat


New Labour advanced too far away from the Party’s base of support – it’s political supply lines were over extended and so the Government is being forced to retreat (on the Post Office, ID cards, Trident – not to mention renationalising the North East mainline!)
However, as the Government retreats it does so over political ground which has been left barren by the political scorched earth policy of New Labour in relation to the Labour Party.

The Government is abandoning some of its treasured neoliberal policies because of its own weakness however and not at all because of any strength on the left (whether within or beyond the Labour Party). The CWU have cause to be glad today – but if the trade unions are to get any value from a relationship with the Labour Party in future the next few weeks are a final opportunity to assert real authority.

Watch this space?

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