By Aamer Anwar
It’s not often I agree with Ed Miliband but I can see why he thinks it’s wrong that the financial contributions of millions of trade union members should automatically fill the coffers of the Labour Party without their say so.
But sharpening his ‘bogeyman’ knife for the Trade Unions, Ed claimed that the Falkirk selection battle was the ‘death throes of the old politics’, but every Labour leader has said the same for the last 40 years.
It’s always about “winning back the trust of the British public and rebuilding the party” or “reconnecting to the grassroots” but Ed needn’t worry – it’s not like Union Barons want to tax the rich or re-nationalise all that has been stolen from this country.
These Barons have spent so many years climbing up a greasy pole, that they have forgotten why they became trade unionists in the first place.
Ordinary people are enraged at the proposed 11% pay rise taking MPs pay to £74,000 whilst their travel, expenses, pensions and ‘duck ponds’ are also paid for. Yet most would be shocked to learn that Len McCluskey leader of Unite earns around £150,000, or that 37 trade union leaders earn in excess of £100,000 a year.
A former Unite leader-Derek Simpson actually received £500,000 including severance pay of £310,000. Never mind sandwiches and beer at No.10, these ‘class warriors’ lost touch with reality and their members a long time ago.
Yet the bust up with the Unions is nothing new, Labour leaders have always picked a fight to prove how tough they are.
Imagining ‘Ed the Wimp’ in a punch up is funny enough but why should millions of ordinary workers not influence a party their Unions created in the first place. After all the filthy rich have considered it their ‘natural right’ to influence the Tory party for centuries so what’s the problem Ed?
People who are suffering austerity in their millions don’t actually buy Ed’s ‘one nation’ pish. Wimbledon is over and whether we were draped in a Union Jack or Saltire, it didn’t stop direct debits bouncing or forcing hard choices on families between their paying for heating or food.
Today Unions are actually all that stand in the way of wholesale privatisation of the Welfare State. Labour lost its moral compass and soul a long time ago, so maybe it is time for the Unions to sever their ties and for their members to force their leaders to fight.
After all why should millions of ordinary workers bankroll a useless bunch of yuppies, whose only experience of hard graft is thinking up get rich quick scams?
In Scotland we all like to have a good moan about what Thatcher did to us, but we should be asking why not a single one of her brutal laws was reformed during 13 years of Labour rule?
In a repeat of history if Labour win in 2015, they will refuse to end the public sector pay freeze, tax the rich or even reverse the bedroom tax.
Union leaders I predict will back away from a showdown with Ed because they want to make sure the Labour leader gets elected; but what if he does?
He has nothing better to offer, cutting our throats albeit at a slower pace than the Tories.
Millions deserve more than Ed Miliband, unfortunately millionaire Ed is the son of Blair and a paler shade of Tory blue who really doesn’t have a clue.
TONY BLAIR- FAN OF PROTEST?
Perma-Tan Tony Blair has been allowed out to spread peace and goodwill as special peace envoy to the Middle East.
This week he spoke in support of Egypt’s military coup that ousted the first democratically elected Government in 3000 years of Egyptian history. Tony claimed that as they had failed to deliver in the first year, the military were right to intervene.
Apparently our Tony’s now a big fan of ‘protest’ and millions on the streets is what swung it for him.
I’m sure the General called Sissy will be grateful to Tony for his ‘wise words‘ as he took power on the 4th July, he said “I’ll die before I fire a bullet on a peaceful demonstrator“.
Four days later his troops opened fire on thousands of peaceful demonstrators praying outside an Army building with 51 dead and 300 injured.
BLAIR
This psycho babbling cretin (Tony) really needs to be more consistent. The last time millions were on the streets of Egypt demanding the overthrow of a dictatorship, he spoke in support of close friend Hosni Mubarak, who had allowed him to holiday in villas at his expense.
He described the butcher who held power for 40 years as ‘immensely courageous and a force for good.’
As for being a fan of protest, don’t even get me started on 3 million who marched in the UK against the war in Iraq!
This is an unedited version of column that appeared in the Scottish Sun on Sunday 14th July 2013
Courtesy of Aamer Anwar