Posts
Tory Bloggers: The Rot Spreads to the Provinces
Our most proficient local Tory blogger has a link to the Union "laundering" story which I find exceedingly disingenuous.
Union members choose whether to join a union, whether that will be a LP affiliated one, and whether they pay levies, and if they do whether they have political funds and how they are disposed of. Lots of people putting in 10p a week. Like the Sunday Hospital Club. Insurance against Tory government.
The funding referred to is largely to finance meeting the extra requirements of newer laws and capacity building for modern industrial relations practice. I think that is fair enough and most bosses would agree. Particularly as ...
The other side of the social partnership - the employers and the CBI for example - are also entitled to apply for vast rafts of government funding.
Some of it for rather similar capacity building activities to the funds for the unions. If they're private why don't they pay for their own training? 
That's the Tory argument. Now they should answer it on behalf of British commerce and industry. And if they cannot they should calm down about Unions getting grants at several orders of magnitude lower.
Cllr Lindley also bemoans the fact he can't raise any cash for Tory activities in Salford.
Of course there are parts of the country where Tory Associations are collecting plenty of support from businesses, individuals who are not members, and social club members who double up.
So I'm not sure what Iain's point is really. If his local association cannot raise funds very well compared to others that is not something to shout about. Is it?
2 comments:
Don't put words in my mouth - we have no trouble raising money Chris. What I particularly object to is the Labour Party whining about Ashcroft money whilst their own associations are taking equally big bungs from the Trade Unions.
If TU members really want to donate to the Labour Party then what is the problem with them arranging to do so directly?
Don't see how I'm putting words into your mouth. You said:
To end on a local note, the Labour Party across the City of Salford has received over £12000 in Union donations since 2001. Your Conservative literature is paid for and delivered by local volunteers, and not by the taxpayer or the trade unions.
i.e. You are jealous. Labour have it easy. And you are also fibbing about the tax payer stumping up for leaflets. Rubbish. Though they do for some rather electioneering ones for LIb Dem MP and Cllr John "Hospital Hoax" Leech.
The Labour Party is concerned about Ashcroft and others e.g. arms dealers and arms manufacturers and tax exiles and avoiders for all kinds of reasons. There is no comparison with Trade Union levies.
The problem with arranging to give 10p a week each directly is so bloody obvious that even the dimmest Etonian on the Tory front bench (and most bright 12 year olds) could see it could they not? Whereas the TUs are already administering £2 or £3 a week and then sending the odd cheque. Not 4 million micro payments.
Cost of sales dear boy, cost of sales.
Post a Comment