Firefighters’ union severs Labour ties
(Guardian, Thu 17 Jun 2004) | 18.06.2004 13:39
The Fire Brigades Union today voted to disaffiliate from Labour, making it the second trade union to split from the party this year.
At a stormy session at the firefighters’ union annual conference in Southport, members defied their leadership to vote approximately five to one in favour of disaffiliating.
A card vote was also taken which showed a vote in favour by 35,105 to 14,611.
Earlier this year Labour moved to disaffiliate the RMT rail union, after it refused to stop local branches affiliating to other parties - notably the Scottish Socialist party north of the border.
The decision breaks an 86-year link between the FBU and Labour and will deprive the party of £50,000 a year as well as practical support, especially useful in the run-up to the next general election.
The conference rejected a plea from the union’s executive to remain inside Labour in a bid to turn the party back to its roots.
Mike Fordham, the union’s assistant general secretary, suggested a compromise of slashing funding for Labour from £50,000 to £20,000 and argued that the union should remain within the party.
Mr Fordham said the “small coterie” around Downing Street thought the Labour party belonged to them but they were now in decline.
“It must surely only be a matter of time before Tony Blair walks into the sunset,” he said.
Mr Fordham said that in terms of working class policies Labour was the only game in town, drawing shouts of “rubbish” from many delegates.
But Mr Fordham argued that the FBU should not throw away its links with Labour because of its anger with the current policies of the government.
But delegates made clear they had not forgiven the government for the way it treated firefighters during the long and bitter pay dispute - where they were branded “wreckers” and even “Scargillites” by government ministers. Tony Maguire from Northern Ireland said the FBU had been “demonised” by the government during the last pay dispute.
Mr Maguire said he “despised” the Labour party and said it was “trampling” on the aspirations of workers.
“I find it impossible to see the difference between Labour politicians and extreme rightwingers. New Labour is not listening and we have been drowned out of the big conversation.
“Are these bastards our bastards or just bastards?” he asked to huge cheers from most of the 300 delegates.
There was more bad news for Labour today as the Communication Workers Union warned it will suspend its £300,000 a year funding of the party if the government does not give a commitment to keep the Royal Mail under public ownership.
Fire Brigades Union:
http://www.fbu.org.uk
A card vote was also taken which showed a vote in favour by 35,105 to 14,611.
Earlier this year Labour moved to disaffiliate the RMT rail union, after it refused to stop local branches affiliating to other parties - notably the Scottish Socialist party north of the border.
The decision breaks an 86-year link between the FBU and Labour and will deprive the party of £50,000 a year as well as practical support, especially useful in the run-up to the next general election.
The conference rejected a plea from the union’s executive to remain inside Labour in a bid to turn the party back to its roots.
Mike Fordham, the union’s assistant general secretary, suggested a compromise of slashing funding for Labour from £50,000 to £20,000 and argued that the union should remain within the party.
Mr Fordham said the “small coterie” around Downing Street thought the Labour party belonged to them but they were now in decline.
“It must surely only be a matter of time before Tony Blair walks into the sunset,” he said.
Mr Fordham said that in terms of working class policies Labour was the only game in town, drawing shouts of “rubbish” from many delegates.
But Mr Fordham argued that the FBU should not throw away its links with Labour because of its anger with the current policies of the government.
But delegates made clear they had not forgiven the government for the way it treated firefighters during the long and bitter pay dispute - where they were branded “wreckers” and even “Scargillites” by government ministers. Tony Maguire from Northern Ireland said the FBU had been “demonised” by the government during the last pay dispute.
Mr Maguire said he “despised” the Labour party and said it was “trampling” on the aspirations of workers.
“I find it impossible to see the difference between Labour politicians and extreme rightwingers. New Labour is not listening and we have been drowned out of the big conversation.
“Are these bastards our bastards or just bastards?” he asked to huge cheers from most of the 300 delegates.
There was more bad news for Labour today as the Communication Workers Union warned it will suspend its £300,000 a year funding of the party if the government does not give a commitment to keep the Royal Mail under public ownership.
Fire Brigades Union:
http://www.fbu.org.uk
(Guardian, Thu 17 Jun 2004)
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