[A-List] Britain's pathetic labour aristocracy

["Keaney Michael" <Michael.Keaney@xxxxxx>]

Union official quits in rigged ballot row
By Barrie Clement, Labour Editor
The Independent, 12 June 2002

A senior supporter of the influential union leader Sir Ken Jackson
resigned yesterday because of accusations that he wiped computer records
to cover up a voting scam.

Roger Maskell, leader of the Amicus-AEEU union in south-east England,
allegedly tried to hide the involvement of the organisation's head
office in an apparent conspiracy to boost the election candidacy of Sir
Ken, New Labour's most loyal union leader.

Mr Maskell, who had been suspended over the affair, was accused
initially of altering computer records to switch officials from branch
to branch so they could nominate Sir Ken more than once. Mr Maskell is
said to have deleted the evidence after the double-voting - in one case
triple-voting - was exposed by The Independent.

The nominating process was an opportunity for candidates to build up a
head of steam before next week's election, in which Sir Ken is fighting
to retain the general secretary's post against his left-wing opponent
Derek Simpson. There is no suggestion that Sir Ken was involved in any
electoral irregularities. Sir Ken's critics, however, have condemned the
union's decision not to publish the findings of a committee of inquiry
into the ballot-rigging until after the election.

Meanwhile, Sir Ken's supporters defended the leadership's decision to
spend £2,000 on a video distributed to delegates at the union's
conference this week in which the Prime Minister makes several mentions
of the Amicus-AEEU general secretary.

Left-wingers claim that aides of the present general secretary contacted
Mr Blair's advisers to suggest that the Prime Minister made repeated
references to Sir Ken to help his election campaign. A union spokesman
said the video was simply a fraternal message to the union from Mr
Blair.

Downing Street is thought to be less than pleased with Sir Ken because
of his assertion at the weekend that Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, could
take over as Prime Minister "in the medium term".

The spokesman for the union confirmed that at least two officials who
had admitting voting twice for Sir Ken in nominating meetings were at
the conference in Blackpool.

Mr Simpson has been refused permission to use his holiday entitlement to
canvass at the conference. The spokes-man said no officials of the union
were allowed to attend the conference unless they had specific union
business there.

In response to another criticism from left-wingers, the spokesman said
the payment of £18,000 in 24 instalments to a campaign for the
election of Frank Dobson as London mayor had been authorised. He
admitted the method of making the payments - in the form of invoices for
the use of printing facilities - was "slightly unusual", but they were
properly sanctioned. He said the money had come from the political fund
and had been authorised by the national political sub-committee rather
than the full executive.

Allegations that the union had victimised supporters of Mr Simpson on
the executive by querying their expense claims for attending the latest
meeting of the national executive were denied. The spokesman said that
forms submitted by Sir Ken's backers had also been questioned.

Mr Simpson, from Derby, is facing disciplinary action instigated by the
right-wing leadership of the union. He is accused of ignoring the
union's lawyers when giving advice to members during a dispute.