Ed Miliband in ?8million union funding gamble after Falkirk selection row

Ed Miliband said the events in Falkirk marked the ?death-throes of old politics? (Picture: PA)

Ed Miliband is going toe-to-toe with Labour?s union backers in a speech that will potentially gamble away up to ?8million of party funding and 3million members.

The Labour leader is set to sound the death knell for automatic affiliation of union members, in the biggest changes to the party in a generation brought about as a result of the Falkirk row.

Unite, Labour?s biggest backer, is accused of packing the constituency with its members to secure the selection of its preferred parliamentary candidate.

Mr Miliband is set to say the incident represents the ?death-throes of old politics?.

?It is a symbol of what is wrong with politics. I want to build a better Labour Party ? and build a better politics for Britain,? he will tell an audience at the St Bride?s Foundation in London.

Len McCluskey has already rejected the idea of an ?opt-in? Labour union membership (Picture: PA)

?The problem is not that these ordinary working men and women dominate the Labour Party ? the problem is that they are not members of local parties, they are not active in our campaigns,? he is expected to say.

?Trade unions should have political funds for all kinds of campaigns and activities as they choose. But I do not want any individual to be paying money to the Labour Party in affiliation fees unless they have deliberately chosen to do so.?

The Labour leader will add: ?So we need to set a new direction in our relationship with trade union members in which they choose to join Labour through the affiliation fee.

?I believe this idea has huge potential for our party and our politics. It could grow our membership from 200,000 to a far higher number, genuinely rooting us in the life of more people of our country.?

Writing in the Guardian, Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, said he would oppose any ?opt-in? system for union members.

Ed Miliband?s proposals have been dubbed ?weak? by the Conservative Party (Picture: PA)

?It would require Labour to unite with the Tories to change the law, [which] would debilitate unions? ability to speak for our members and would further undermine unions? status as voluntary, and self-governing, organisations,? he said.

Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said nothing would change as a result of Mr Miliband?s speech.

?Under Ed Miliband?s weak proposals, including a code of conduct that already exists, it would still be the same old Labour Party ? bankrolled by the unions, policies rigged by the unions and candidates chosen by the unions,? he said.

?The reality is Ed Miliband cannot change Labour because he cannot stand up to the union barons who elected him. That means he?s too weak to stand up for hardworking people and too weak to run the country.?

Mr Miliband is also expected to unveil plans for the party?s next mayor of London candidate to be picked through a system of US-style primaries.

Source: http://metro.co.uk/2013/07/09/ed-miliband-in-8million-union-funding-gamble-after-falkirk-selection-row-3874370/

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