[A-List] UK labour militancy & public order

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

We do need Real Labour

Andy Gilchrist
Wednesday December 4, 2002
The Guardian

The furore triggered by my comments about New Labour and Real Labour at the
Socialist Campaign Group of MPs' conference last weekend has been out of all
proportion to their significance. Critics reacted as though my warnings
represent a new development in Fire Brigades Union policy. They do not - and
let me explain why.

My central point was that New Labour's policies in government are alienating
many traditional supporters. As a result, the task of those, like myself,
who passionately believe in strengthening the link between the party and
unions, is being made increasingly difficult. In almost every
Labour-affiliated union the call is becoming louder to weaken the links and
reduce financial support to the Labour establishment. This demand will
become impossible to counter if the government continues with New Labour's
project of appeasing big business while distancing itself from the unions.
The government's handling of the firefighters' dispute, during which it has
intervened three times to prevent a negotiated settlement, is but the latest
episode in this process.

So the challenge to all those who treasure Labour's values is to rescue the
party from the New Labour project. This certainly does not mean bringing
down the Labour government, let alone using the firefighters as unwitting
stormtroopers in a revolutionary bid for power. It means, on the contrary, a
patient political struggle to change the Labour party from within and
persuade the leadership to abandon its attack on the public service ethos.

My call on Saturday was simply to work within the constitution of Labour to
reclaim the party for socialist values and pro-working class policies: to
work for greater equality and fairer rewards, for full employment and jobs
paying decent wages, for progressive taxation to fund better public
services, and for peace with justice underpinned by international law and
the UN charter. If we fail in these objectives, the Labour party will be
lost to its New Labour colonisers and the organic unity between party and
unions will be destroyed.

Of course it suits John Prescott to offer avuncular advice about keeping out
of politics. But individual members and affiliated unions still have the
right to criticise the government and that was the right I was exercising at
the weekend. It's called democracy. And John Prescott, backed by the Tories
and the entire establishment media, insists on criticising the FBU, its
tactics and strategy, despite the 87% ballot for action and the modesty of
our ambitions. The proposed salary of £30,000 a year for the job our members
do is a fair rate, backed up by detailed research and job evaluation
exercises.

The armed forces have done a good job in difficult circumstances. But they
are not doing the same job as a professional firefighter. And wouldn't it be
better if police officers were chasing thieves rather than investigating bin
fires? The hidden costs of this dispute are enormous. It's time for a
negotiated settlement and only the government can deliver this.

When it comes to Iraq, the humanitarian prospects of a war are terrifying.
But so will be the political fallout. Labour will be split, perhaps never to
recover as a mass party. Gordon Brown's spending programmes may well have to
be abandoned or taxes raised to pay for the war. On its past record, it
seems likely that New Labour will choose cuts to public services rather than
tax big business and the rich.

It is right for public sector trade unionists to speak out, along with
Church of England leaders, against war. And a Labour government informed by
socialist values would find the £80m to fund a fair settlement to the fire
dispute rather than commit £1,000m to an unjust, cowardly war.

Undoubtedly some New Labour policy wonks would welcome a growing separation,
followed by divorce, of Labour and the unions. If that were to happen it
would be a bleak day for working people and the Labour party. The party's
unique strength is its links to the organised working class. Through its
federal structure the party can, if it chooses, reflect the experiences and
aspirations of millions of working people. It is Labour's direct link to the
factory floor, to the housing estate, to the experiences of millions working
in the public sector. No other party has this. And if Labour was to abandon
it, the party would become just another rudderless organisation totally
controlled by the professional political class. It's already well down this
road. My call last Saturday was to change direction and for rank-and-file
members to work for such a change before New Labour destroys Real Labour.

· Andy Gilchrist is the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union