Rebel Labour MPs fail in bid to overturn union restrictions
The rebellion was higher than expected. Thirty-six MPs had backed a TUC-led campaign which also wanted close a legal loophole that allows employers to use agencies to break strikes and give greater protection to individuals following the taking of industrial action.
A number of Labour MPs who had pledged to rebel were absent, campaigning in the byelection in Glenrothes, Scotland, making the size of the rebellion all the more surprising.
The original rebels were joined by a number of moderate Labour MPs, including Nick Palmer, Broxtowe; Andrew Miller, Ellesmere Port and Neston; Gordon Marsden, Blackpool South; and Brian Jenkins, Tamworth.
Two Liberal Democrats rebelled against their whip, Paul Holmes, MP for Chesterfield, and John Leech, MP for Manchester, Withington, to support the Labour dissidents.
They were joined by Respect MP, George Galloway; three Plaid Cymru MPs and three independents.
Pat McFadden, the employment relations minister, refused to yield to the Labour rebels to even consider any further changes in the law to strengthen their position.
He was strongly supported by Jonathan Djanogly, the shadow corporate governance minister. "The last thing the government should do is hand the power to self-interested employee groups to hold companies to ransom," Djanogly said.
"The government would be wrong to do anything that more than simply dismisses the new clause. If they do not, it would add yet further weight to the rumours that the 'beer and sandwich' culture of the 1970s has worked its way back into Downing Street."
Labour MPs were also disappointed that the government would not move on changing the law and allow unions to expel fascists from unions. McFadden argued that it would not be possible to single out the British National party.
John McDonnell, the Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, in whose name the amendments were tabled, said: "This is a huge rebellion in a byelection week and sends out the clearest possible signal to the government that we are not doing enough on trade union rights. Our supporters will not understand why the government is prepared to fall over backwards to rescue the bankers but will do nothing to protect workers as the recession begins to bite."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/nov/05/trade-unions-bnp-labour-rebels
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Someone has just tried to post the link to this website on here, we have deleted it. WARNING 2008 list online WTF is going on at the BNP ? ...
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If I understand this correctly the leaders of the Trade Union movement want new legislation that would give trade unions the legal authority to expell trade union members whose political views and values differ from their,the Trade union leaders, own. They, the proposers of this change in law, want 'facists' and 'racists' expelled from union membership. First:
Have they defined what they mean by 'facist' and 'racist'? These labels are now stuck on anyone who the anti democratic left fear. They are just 'hate' words used by the left (ie the establishment) to castrate opposition. Freedom loving people must stand up to this left(establishment) intimidation --it want stop until either you stand up to it or they have succeeded in their plan to destroy you. Make you choice.
Secondly. The purpose of a trade union is to protect workers and to improve workers wages and working conditions and contracts of employment. A workers political opinions are his/her own concern.(just like his/her sexual preferences are his /her own concern) This is a cornerstone of democracy. It is call tollerance. Something the left (estab lishment) talk endlessly about but never seem to practice.
Thirdly. Just what have these (what I would call hate filled union leadership bigots) done for you? They have stood silent as your jobs were 'offshored'. First your manufacturing jobs and then your service sector jobs.They take your dues and pay themselves wages that you can only dream of and probilly pensions larger than any wage you are likely to draw. The only thing keeping them in their positions is the inertia of the membership. It is this inertia, this refusal of the people to act,that allows the situation to go from bad to worse and more worse ---.
Forthly. Those who are correct are always persecuted by those who are wrong but who for the moment hold power. Truth and freedom lovers Standfast.
I'm glad that Labour/Searchlight attempted this, its a great example to show the British public of what they really are, and that is, FASCIST
Apparently "we can not single the bnp out "and yet they are on a daily basis,ballerinas to teachers to train drivers,but this victim status may pay dividends in the future.
"Apparently "we can not single the bnp out "and yet they are on a daily basis,ballerinas to teachers to train drivers,but this victim status may pay dividends in the future.
06 November 2008 10:55"
I agree, and here is yet another example of their FASCIST ranting
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BNP plan to attend Remembrance event
4:53pm Thursday 6th November 2008
Councillors and an MP have reacted angrily after members of the British National Party boasted they have been “formally invited” to a Remembrance Sunday service.
BNP party members are planning to line up alongside veterans at the service in Horsham town centre.
The party’s claim of an official invite was made on the BNP website.
The BNP website reads: “Next speaker was the ever popular and famous Donna Bailey. She told the crowd of how, following last year’s successful Poppy Appeal organised by the branch, the BNP had now been formally invited to attend the official procession in Horsham this coming Remembrance Sunday and lay a wreath.”
Mrs Bailey, who failed in a bid to be elected to Upper Beeding Parish Council in February by just 20 votes, said: “Yes, we will be there this year. Last year in Horsham, we raised hundreds of pounds and we are going to be doing that again this year and will be involved in Sunday’s parade.
“We had discussions with the British Legion and they are quite happy for us to attend along with the other political parties.”
Dianne Loates, the Horsham branch secretary of the Royal British Legion, denied they had formally invited the BNP after it raised almost £1,000 for last year’s appeal.
She said: “They asked if they could. I had a little think about it and I laid down my ground rules quite strictly of no politics whatsoever. The Royal British Legion isn’t a political organisation.”
Politicians have voiced concerns that the BNP are planning to attend the service.
Lib Dem councillor David Holmes said: “I expect they are doing it as a political stunt to draw attention to themselves. The people who normally go to the service are local councillors and other members who do represent the people and have been elected.
“I would definitely say it’s inappropriate.”
Horsham’s Conservative MP Francis Maude said: “It would be completely inappropriate for there to be any political involvement of any sort. I think they are a repellent party. Remembrance Day is not an occasion for politics of any kind.”
A spokesman for Horsham District Council, which organises the Remembrance Day service alongside the legion, said: “No one is formally invited to lay a wreath at Horsham’s Remembrance Sunday service, aside from the official dignitaries involved in the ceremony.
“After the dignitaries have laid their wreaths then anyone can do so too.
“It is not in the council’s gift to ban anyone from commemorating the fallen.”
A BNP spokesman said: “This is all much ado about nothing. If people are going to attack us we will defend ourselves. We go to lots of Remembrance processions across the country. We do a lot for the British Legion in Horsham and it would look bad if we weren’t at the Horsham Remembrance Sunday service.”
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/3825679.BNP_plan_to_attend_Remembrance_event/
I still wonder why any Nationalist would want to be associated with the Marxists in the RMT, Unite et al. Why don't they just join the autonomous Nationalist Union Solidartity?
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