Bring on the Constitution

The new Cabinet has met to discuss proposals for a new constitutional convention to include a Bill of Rights. Brown will make a statement in the House of Commons on Monday to announce the start of a process towards a constitutional convention

This is a welcome step and we should all look forward to constructively engaging in the debate around the new constitutional convention - something for which we have been arguing for some time.

We need to empower people so that they have enforceable social rights to healthcare, housing and welfare provision. This means restoring legal aid so that everyone has access to the courts. It means reversing the authoritarian drift under Blair. It means industrial democracy, and the same rights for British workers that are enjoyed by our European counterparts.

Ultimately this constitutional convention must mean a thorough-going democratisation of our society, leaving behind the tokenistic language of choice, and replacing it with rights.

As I wrote in Another World is Possible:

"We need a new constitutional settlement for the 21st century. This should focus on developing a dynamic and explicit democratic framework of positive civil, social and political rights. These would create the opportunities for people to take more control of their lives and determine the quality of the world they live in."

Withdrawal from Iraq should be new PM's first act

Last night I tabled an EDM in the House of Commons calling on the new Prime Minister to make the withdrawal of troops from Iraq his first priority.

The loss of life of Iraqis and British soldiers has caused so much heart-rending suffering. It would be a significant start to his period in office if the new Prime Minister set a timetable for withdrawal.

This would be a radical break from the Blair era and reflect the majority opinion of both the Party and the country. It would also demonstrate that he had listened to the views of our people.

I was glad to see that my good comrade Jeremy Corbyn managed to raise Iraq again at Blair's final Prime Minister questions today. Whether he likes it or not this is his legacy, and Brown would be well-advised to make his the withdrawal from this horrific situation.

EDM 1777: Withdrawal of British troops from Iraq

That this House calls upon the new Prime Minister to announce as his first act in office a timetable for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq.

Co-ordinated Industrial Action against Pay Cuts, Privatisation and Job Cuts on the Cards.

I have just got back from speaking at the RMT annual conference in Edinburgh. I remember the derisory comments of some in the Labour Party and in the trade unions when Bob Crow was elected RMT General Secretary and his Executive Committee developed the union's campaigning approach to recruitment, training and representation of its members.

The media went to town on personal attacks on Bob and abuse of the union.

There is no doubt that the RMT is a fighting union. It forcefully stands up for its members and is usually the first to come to aid other unions or campaigns in their struggles both in this country and interantionally.

The result is a union that in only a few years has increased its membership by nearly 50% and has secured for its members increases in pay, improved employment conditions and protection of their pensions at a time when all of these have been under attack across industry.

Such anger has built up across the movement over pay cuts and privatisation job cuts that in the coming months a range of other unions will be at the forefront of protecting the jobs and living statndards of their members. This Friday I will be joining the CWU picket lines as postal workers take action tio protect their jobs and our postal service. Through the summer and into an autumn of discontent PCS, Unison, GMB, Unite, NUT and UCU will all be either preparing for or taking action against cuts in their members pay and further rounds of privatisation.

It is becomimg starkly clear that if co-ordinated action could be achieved their individual campaigns would be irresistable. RMT lead the way today by announcing that the planned rail strike could be coincided with a CWU strike day.

The incoming Prime Minister needs to be aware that his imposition of a three year pay cut for public service workers and his contnuing privatisation of their jobs will haunt him all the way up to the next election unless a change in policy takes place. The feel I get from trade union conference after conference is that public sector workers will only be pushed so far.

Brown Moves Against Trade Unions

Gordon Brown's first act in his relations with the Labour and trade union movement is to announce that he intends to scrap the trade union vote in policy making at Labour Party conference.

Jon Cruddas and the Compass group initially started this dangerous hare running with their proposals to cut the trade unions' percentage share of the vote at conference. Brown has taken this to its logical conclusion with his proposal of a total removal of the right of trade unions to vote on policy decisions.

This is a real kick in the teeth for all those trade union general secretaries who loyally nominated Brown to the leadership of the party.

Many will now be wondering if this is a the reward for their loyalty what hope is their of exercising any influence on the key issues of public sector pay cuts, privatisation, and trade union rights.

As a complete aside for those media watchers amongst you, you may have noticed that the Guardian editorial team are up to their old tricks again. I appeared on the Guardian Unlimited website last night commenting on the low turnout and outcome of the deputy leadership election, but true to all past form, by this morning the political editors had got to work and any reference to my name was removed.

The lesson - we have to make ouur own media and the web and blogosphere is as good as any. Spread the message.

Leadership Elections: First Reactions

This is the press release we put out this afternoon soon after the announcement of the Brown coronation and deputy leadership election results.

"Low Turnout Demonstrates Members Resentment at Lack of Leadership Election."

"Harman Victory as Deputy Evidences Effectiveness of Brown Machine Politics."

Commenting on the results of the elections for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party, former leadership candidate, John McDonnell said "The very low turnout amongst party members and trade unionists is a clear demonstration to Gordon Brown of the scale of resentment amongst our supporters at being denied a vote in a real leadership election. The election of Gordon Brown's own candidate to the deputy leadership evidences little other than the effectiveness of the machine poitics associated with the Brown camp but even Harriet Harman had to posture to the Left on the issues of Iraq, trade union rights and council housing in order to secure victory."

Ronan Bennett's article in today's Observer summed up for many their views on what a real leadership election debate could and should have concentrated on. These real world issues were largely ignored in the Gordon Brown tour and the deputy leadership hustings leading up to today's coronation. However they won't go away and neither will those socialists in our movement who are intent on addressing them.