Letter: Labour policies for the future

Sir: Barrie Clement's article (5 January) forecasting uproar if the Labour Party holds back from one member, one vote is wholly accurate. Indeed, I for one will be one of the people creating that uproar.

During the last conference, I moved a motion calling for one member, one vote to be introduced immediately. I remitted it on the assurance that it would receive proper consideration in the overall policy review. To now back away from that decision is a cop-out.

The debates, the arguments and the shelving have now gone by. The argument has been made and, more importantly, has been accepted by the majority of Labour Party members. They have the right to choose their candidates and the only fair way is through the system of one member, one vote.

Those who argue that this will weaken the link between the Labour Party and the trade union movement are entirely wrong. The link will never, ever be broken. The commitment between the party and the trade union movement is far too deep, but the trade unions must allow the Labour Party the freedom to function as a political party capable of arriving at policy and deciding its candidates free from the diktat of trade union barons.

Yours sincerely,

PAUL GALLAGHER

General Secretary

AEEU-EETPU Section

Amalgamated Engineering

and Electrical Union

Bromley, Kent

5 January