Union leader warns Blair of 'cancer' eating at Labour
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.Bill Morris, one of Labour's biggest union backers, said yesterday that a "cancer" was eating away the party's support because of the Prime Minister's refusal to listen to the views of grassroots supporters.
Mr Morris, the leader of one of the party's biggest affiliates, declared that, like the Tories, Labour could descend rapidly from being "invincible to being unelectable" because of its "obsession" with commercial involvement in public services and its refusal to give ground over employment rights.
Mr Morris, the general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union and outgoing president of the Trades Union Congress, urged Mr Blair to listen to the concerns of the party's most loyal supporters ahead of the Prime Minister's speech to the annual TUC conference next week.
If Mr Blair fails to allay fears over his policies on public services – an issue he has placed at the top of the Government's agenda – he could face an embarrassing defeat at the Labour conference two weeks later.
Mr Morris told The Independent thatabout one-quarter of the motions tabled for the TUC conference criticised Mr Blair's intention to give the private sector a bigger role in delivering public services. He remainedopposed to ending his union's link with Labour, but indicated that his union would consider joining campaigns with the Liberal Democrats to preserve the public service ethos.
The TUC is expected to unite behind a statement that public services should be state-owned. John Edmonds, the leader of the GMB union, said: "The Government is playing with fire. The public have already seen the disaster that rail privatisation has become. They will not stand back and watch the Government force privatisation down the throats of schoolchildren and patients."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments