Tories clean up politics by largely attacking Unions

The Tories and they LibDem allies  seem to have decided to use the latest cash for question scandal as a means to curb the Trade Unions further and cut of finding for the Labour party.


Under the new proposals, unions will be required to carry out an annual audit of their membership and demonstrate that the figures they produce are accurate. 

The Certification Officer will be given the power to conduct investigations into the numbers produced, which are vital when ballots on strike action are conducted.

And unions appear to be the main target of the proposed changes to third-party election campaign funding, which will apply to organisations affiliated to political parties as those making major donations of more than £100,000.

I am no fan of Trade Union funding of Labour,  it often enrages me to see Trade Unions backing a Party that spent 11 years  of power doing virtual y nothing for working people . And I would much prefer greater say by the membership of whether a MP or candidate should receive their backing ,

Members should also opt in to the political fund (which largely goes to Labour) rather than opt out.

However much of the proposed legislation seems to have nothing to so with Cash for Questions but to weaken the Unions hand when it comes to Industrial Action,

Unions appear to be the main target of the proposed changes to third-party election campaign funding, which will apply to organisations affiliated to political parties as those making major donations of more than £100,000.

The reforms will claim it will  see  the true value of activities such as leaflet-printing is reflected when judging whether parties have breached the £19 million cap on campaign spending in the year before a general election, said No 10.

One of the argument is that some third Parties print leaflets for Labour and charge them less than the actual cost

When calculating the campaign spending they must declare, organisations such as unions would have to include not only the cost of printing a leaflet but also overheads such as staffing and rent on premises - which could potentially inflate the figure considerably

However I can't  see any reference to  shareholders being asked to approve political donations.

Nor is there a limit to Individual donations. Which largely  benefit the Tories but which Labour have benefited from in power and led to accusations that the parties were virtually selling peerage and Knighthoods. 

As I have stated I find the Trade Unions support for Labour exasperating.

One of the nominations prospective Westminster candidate for Ceredigion  is  chair of their  Unison branch which is affiliated to Labour another is Chair of his branch of PCS (which isn't)

If selected imagine how the former  feel when they see his  union HQ backing a Labour candidate. 

However it is a disgrace that the Tories are using this latest scandal to attack funding for Labour when ignoring the contributions to their own coffers.

They are trying to use to use this for their own political advantage  and destroys any faith in their intentions to clean up politics.