Trade Union funding of Labour to be slashed?

BBC story here...


"Labour anger over funding plans
Chequebook
All the parties say they want more transparency in funding
There has been an angry response from Labour MPs to the suggestion that there might be a £50,000 limit on political donations, including from trade unions.

Sir Hayden Phillips, who is reviewing political funding, has suggested such a cap be phased in over four years.

Labour MP John McDonnell said this would break the "historic link" with unions, and suggested this was Tony Blair's "hidden agenda".

An emergency meeting of Labour's ruling body has been called for Thursday.


I see no reason why donations from trade unions should be exempt from the cap
Sir Hayden Phillips

There has been no official word from Downing Street on whether Mr Blair supports a cap on donations.

But Mr McDonnell, a left-wing Labour MP who has said he will stand against Gordon Brown to replace Mr Blair when he steps down, said "it looks as though the prime minister is backing these proposals".

Sir Hayden was asked by Tony Blair to examine whether agreement could be reached over changes to party funding following the emergence of the "cash for honours" allegations.

Those allegations, which are denied by all concerned, are that honours have been given to people in return for people donating, or lending, money to political parties".

Well my immeadiate knee jerk reaction as a trade unionist is good! It's depressing seeing money which goes into the union's political fund to be used for campaigning for the members being used to bankroll a party that sent working class lads out to kill or be killed on behalf of the US, a party that is selling off council housing, and robbing the pension fund.

Of course McDonnell (who is a decent bloke, though a complete dreamer) is right that Tony wants to cut the link and abandon the unions for good, well maybe it will work out in the interests of union members in the end.