Agency workers deal just a staging post

The Government announced yesterday a deal between the CBI and the TUC, so that agency workers will gain near equal rights with regularly employed workers - but only after 12 weeks (3 months).

Many who camapigned for the Agency Workers Bill will feel disappointed at the 3 month condition which will lead to obvious further abuses by employers deliberately laying people off after 2 months and 29 days.

This agreement can only be seen as a staging post to the full implementation of Labour leader John Smith's famous commitment to full employment rights for all workers from day one of their employment.

Beyond the Market Economy

I wrote an article for Guardian Comment is Free yesterday on what Labour must do to avert electoral disaster.

If the Labour party is to restore any credibility and stand any chance of holding onto office quite simply people need a clear and honest explanation of how we got here and an opportunity to contribute to a sensible debate on the route out.

Part of that sensible debate will take place at this weekend's Beyond the Market Economy conference at Birkbeck College, London.

As the economy gets worse, we need not only robust alternative policies (that we're happy for Brown to borrow), but strong and creative campaigns to defend the victims of an economic downturn - the Beyond the Market Economy conference is about developing both. Come along.