After agreeing to publish an article on TGWU’s position on the McDonnell Leadership issue for a recent edition, the left Labour Party weekly Tribune suddenly pulled apparently whilst at the printers.
The article was written by Andy Erlam, who is Chair of TGWU Central London Branch. As a courtesy Tony Woodley was sent a copy of the article. Apparently the General Secretary’s political adviser, a former Tribune writer, demanded that they “spike” the article and the editor folded under pressure. It has subsequently emerged that the TGWU is an important Tribune shareholder and Ray Collins, Assistant General Secretary at TGWU, holds a seat on the Tribune Board.
As far as we know, there is now no chance that the TGWU will nominate McDonnell before Blair’s resignation; Derek Simpson has publicly stated that he will not endorse Brown, and Unite (the new merged union, formally created from TGWU and Amicus on 1 May) seems unlikely to do that.
But the basic issues remain: why don’t left wing trade unionists like Tony Woodley, the TGWU’s Broad Left Exec majority, and the CWU’s Billy Hayes, turn their general left-wing words into the definite support that John McDonnell needs now in order to get the 45 MPs’ nominations he needs to get on the ballot paper?
The Tribune article
By Andy Erlam
The Transport and General Workers Union may be the first of the Big Four unions to declare support for John McDonnell. Tony Woodley, the General Secretary has been sitting on the fence regarding the Labour Leadership, like his colleagues in the other three big unions. But time is running out and he is under increasing pressure, especially as the unions have now been given the confidential timetable by the Labour Party for when Tony Blair resigns in a few weeks time.
Officially, the TGWU is not favouring any one candidate until a Leadership election us declared. In practice, the union leadership has been preparing for months. Woodley has given a hint here and a wink there, working where he works best — behind the scenes.
Incidentally, Woodley has stated that he personally favours Jon Cruddas, though this is far from becoming the union’s stated policy.
Cruddas’s record for the Left is very poor. He has missed many votes in the Commons regarding Trident, he is a child of Number 10 and New Labour and has a shaky election platform. But the Deputy Leadership is somewhat of a diversion. All six candidates are damaged by their commitment to the war in Iraq. The reasons for the failure of the Left to field a strong candidate must be addressed, now or later.
Woodley’s dilemma is clear. He very much favours John McDonnell but he fears the wrath of Gordon Brown, if he backs McDonnell. However, he equally fears the wrath of the Left within the TGWU, (which got him into his 7th floor office at Transport House), if he does not back McDonnell.
Even McDonnell’s strongest supporters and McDonnell himself are aware that the Left’s candidate continues to face a huge challenge to win through. But people remember Ken Livingstone’s campaign and know that the underdog can win through and win hearts and mass votes. Woodley himself was once described as “a racing horse with no legs” when he was struggling to win the General Secretary post at the TGWU several years ago, but spectacularly won through.
But to be fair, the GS is right to want to weigh everything up in the interests of the union. On the other hand, if McDonnell fails to get on the ballot paper, due to the inaction of the union leadership, all hell will be let loose within the TGWU.
Most Labour MP’s do not actually privately support Brown, but many fear that if they do not support him, Labour will loose the next General Election. Others fear that Brown will loose the election anyway, partly because of his lack of personal skills but mostly because he is the brains behind New Labour.
Tony Woodley is also under-pressure to distinguish his role from that of Derek Simpson General Secretary of Amicus with whom the TGWU amalgamates shortly. Simpson, a former Left winger, has already declared for Brown and the union’s Political Committee, composed entirely of right-wingers, seems destined to formally support Brown soon.
As a direct result of Left grassroots pressure, the TWGU General Executive Council was forced this week to change it’s agenda to include a discussion about supporting McDonnell. Woodley wants the union to nominate after MP nominations for candidates close. The Left wants it to nominate before, thereby giving a signal to its sponsored MPs and the Left in other unions to mobilise for McDonnell. This is the turning point in the Leadership election.
In reality, McDonnell is the only trade union candidate. His record in Parliament is second to none. He is joint author of the Trade Union Freedom Bill and has actively supported unions in every dispute in this country in the last decade. He has consistently opposed the Iraq war.
John McDonnell is the only candidate to unite the Labour Party, take it through to a General Election victory and implement the policies that millions of socialists yearn for.
