Major union backs outsider for Labour deputy
- 5 Feb 07, 12:15 PM
According to the Electoral Commission website, which will be monitoring these things, the first big donation has been made to a Labour deputy leadership candidate by an affiliated union. The donor: Amicus, whose 800,000 members affiliated to the party will form a major part of the electoral college. The recipient: Jon Cruddas MP, .
Amicus' press office tell me that it was a decision made by the union's political committee in December, and that it does not indicate they are actually supporting him for leader. The donation, it seems, has been made in order to create a "level playing field" with the other candidates. One of whom, , , unlike Jon Cruddas...
[UPDATE! Within seconds of posting this I was informed that Peter Hain's campaign has now also . This time from businessman and longtime Labour donor Bill Bottriell.]
The formalities aside, (ministers are in fact rightly barred from using ministerial resources for the campaign) Labour watchers believe that both Amicus and the TGWU are set to back the Dagenham MP, the only declared candidate so far who does not hold office (and, according to an interview ondoes not want to either).
I am told that the Electoral Commission website now looms large in the real life world of the types featured in Party Animals. No time for drink-fuelled binges, when so many of them are staying up nights hitting the reload button on the website in the hope of finding out where the union money is flowing in the race to fill Prezza's boots.
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But how come there has been little news of the John McDonnell campaign for leader?
When I initially became involved in the campaign I had an idea it was an agitational campaign only and he had no chance and I presumed he stood to spark a debate on the future of the Labour grassroots. But then he came to my branch to speak and I changed my tune. He believes he could ahve a shot if he gets the opportunity to convince people - and I believe him.
He is an inspirational speaker and I think he could gain mass support - if only he had the opportunity to make the arguments. So I think perhaps my initial thoughts were correct but for different reasons. He is serious about the challenge but he is being starved of publicity.
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can i ask if this is allowed;i made a complaint my right in 2006,since the complaint on several occasions ive had my benefits entitlement stopped delayed witheld sent up to a decision maker totalling over 拢1000,in benefits lost,the reasons were not satisfied jobseekers agreements,not satisfied labour market conditions,did not enter into an agreement, considering i have been sighning on at every time given,even weekly sighning,i have been subject to this,what i beleive to be illegal,trial,unlisted,unpublicised,unreal,illegitimate,untested,proceedures fropm a government office such as jobseekers plus,i am not allowed the training i may be in need of,to help me get back to work,instead of dealing with an appeal to the decisions they see fit to tel me nothing about my deciion as to why it was stopped or sent up to a decision maker,ignore my complaint,in there complaints proceedures,ignore my appeal and instigate a decision that after seven months of benefit stoppages,tell me that if i dont find a job that,they will change my jobseekers agreement,and state, in 6 weeks they will change my agreement to suit the jobseekers staff in there efforts to force me into a low paid unskilled vacancy that is available,as a qualified bus driver that sometimes cannot get a job because no one is stopping employers,employing labour, without the appropriate licence,illegal,normal car licence holders,driving buses,i do not think this is a legal act of dwp,or that it is government policy,it is unadvertised,in any of there leaflets,by starving people into lowest paid jobs without rights,
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