Over 1 million workers are employed as agency staff in the UK. As the party of the people - I would have thought that the government would have felt at least obliged, if not compelled, to support equal employment rights for agency staff (such as sick pay, holiday leave etc.). However, we find ourselves in the very worrying, troubling and frankly bizarre situation that our labour government OPPOSES Andrew Miller’s bill for employment equalisation. The government have, prima facie, appeared to side with the CBI over it own MP’s and, I would surmise, the majority of its own members. Even although the bill has the backing of 130 labour MP’s, it seems certain to fail for the government is not backing it. The government has offered a “commission” to look at this issue. This is just the latest development that has made me question the fundamental premise of this party. Government objection to the charter of fundamental rights also seemed bizarre to me.
This cannot stand. The Labour party needs comprehensive internal party reform. The party will LOSE the next elections without the grass roots. As much as it would pain me to see labour removed from power - it pains me even more that the government, on the face of it, is choosing business over the worker; changing the fundamental core of the labour party itself. Whilst I appreciate how integral business is to an economy, I believe that workers are far more integral to both the economy and business and I would never have thought I’d see the day where the CBI trumped the working person. It is in part our own fault, we have allowed the grass roots to be so marginalised in say and have given our government near unchecked executive authority that even our own backbenchers cant force their hand. We have also allowed the coronation of two labour leaders when we should have a constitution that values democracy regardless of support.
The grass roots should be able to have the power of recall, after all - it is US who are the party. Even the threat of recall or a vote of no confidence of the leader would be enough to establish the due influence the party members should have in important philosophical issues such as equal rights for ALL workers. The government should also be obliged to carry motions forward into legislation when they are agreed by majority at conference. If the labour party has changed beyond recognition and has indeed become a party where business interests and fear for job losses are put over the fundamental premise of being the party of the working people of all background’s - then I have to ask, what is the point of it any more?
Brown should know better.
