Monks hits back at a 'Thatcherite' Tony Blair
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.John Monks, the TUC general secretary, accused Tony Blair yesterday of aping Margaret Thatcher when he called the leader of the Fire Brigades Union "Scargillite".
Normally a Downing Street loyalist, Mr Monks launched a strongly-worded attack on the Prime Minister for likening FBU general secretary, Andy Gilchrist, to the militant mine workers' leader Arthur Scargill.
Mr Monks said he believed there were people in Number 10 "spoiling for a fight" with the unions after journalists were briefed last week about Mr Blair's private description of Mr Gilchrist.
Reports of a heavy-handed PR operation from Downing Street came at an extremely sensitive time in the negotiations as the TUC acted as an honest broker to bring John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, into the affair. Mr Prescott himself "went ballistic" at Mr Blair's description.
The TUC leader said he believed that those determined to stir up trouble with the unions were in the minority and that the Government was keen to avoid a damaging confrontation with firefighters.
On BBC News 24's One to One programme, to be shown this weekend, he says of Mr Blair: "One of my criticisms is he is careless with language and when he is under pressure he reaches for the Conservative political lexicon of the 1980s and uses these things – 'wreckers' was another one – which give offence and are not accurate, but they carry a certain PR punch and it doesn't help.
"I think it was too much of a – if I can repay the compliment – Thatcherite reaction and just kept conjuring up some old, irrelevant memory."
The FBU executive meets on Monday after talks with the employers ended on Thursday without agreement.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments