Prentis: No more blank cheques for Labour
Tuesday, 16 June 2009 12:00 AM
By Ian Dunt
The leader of the union Unison has told Labour it will not be receiving any more "blank cheques" in a sign of growing tension between the unions and the government.
The announcement means 64 constituency Labour parties will have their funding withdrawn.
Speaking at the union's National Delegate Conference, general secretary Dave Prentis, said: "Our members are tired of feeding the hand that bites them.
"I call on our Labour link to suspend all constituency development payments and to ensure that our union only promotes and supports prospective Labour candidates who are willing to stand up for our values of public service."
Mr Prentis called for a limit to privatisation and a manifesto commitment to "rebuild public provision".
"We cannot tell our members to campaign and vote for a party whose manifesto promises more competition and more privatisation of our public services," he said.
Scottish National party (SNP) MSP Christina McKelvie - a former Unison shop steward - welcomed the speech.
"These are very significant developments and show how far Labour have lost touch with their traditional support; with trade unions in particular and public sector workers in general," she said.
The news follows the publication of a Mori survey - also by Unison - which shows 70 per cent of public sector workers would not vote Labour at the next election.
Newsletter sign up