Prescott backs plans to weaken unions’ power in Labour conference votes

Former deputy prime minister says it is ‘time for change’ as current rules ‘loaded’ against constituency interests The former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott has backed plans by the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, to weaken the power of trade unions in Labour party conference votes. In an interview on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show on Sunday , Prescott said it was “time for change” because the current rules – which give the unions 50% of the vote at conference – were seen as “loaded” against the interests of ordinary members in constituency parties. He cited his defeat in a contest to become the party’s treasurer last year as one reason why he was in favour of reform. Despite winning a clear majority in the constituency section of the contest, he was defeated by the union candidate, Diana Holland, after she won almost 100% of the votes cast by unions. Prescott is normally perceived as a champion of union interests, and his support will help Miliband in what is likely to be the toughest battle he has faced to reform his party since winning the leadership last year. Even Tony Blair balked at giving the unions less than half the vote at conference. Prescott said proposing changes to Labour’s constitution was “always controversial”, but insisted Milband was right to address the issue. “There is a feeling in the constituencies that perhaps the power of the trade unions has been loaded a bit against the constituencies,” he said. “When I stood for treasurer, I got 63% of the actual votes of the constituencies and hardly anything from the unions because three or four general secretaries decided I wasn’t going to be the one and therefore didn’t ballot their members. So it’s time for change.” Prescott suggested Miliband’s move was similar to John Smith’s decision to introduce one member, one vote for the selection of parliamentary candidates in 1993. “There may be resistance to [Miliband's plans] – there was against one member, one vote – and then the conference will make a decision,” said Prescott, who helped Smith win one member, one vote with a passionate speech that became famous both for its incoherence and its effectiveness. He also called Miliband “a man of reform”. Dismissing suggestions that the Labour leader was failing to make an impact, he added: “If you’re the leader of the Labour party and you want to make change, it’ll take you more than a week … he has only been in the job for 12 months, but he has made some headway.” Milband has been privately discussing plans with the unions. As the Guardian revealed last week , one plan is for Labour’s national policy forum to get a share of the vote at conference, thus diluting the unions’ influence. In a further move that could antagonise the unions, Miliband wants to change the rules for the election of Labour’s leader. One idea that has been floated is for registered supporters to get a vote. Miliband set out the case for reform in Refounding Labour, a consultation document prepared by Peter Hain and published in March. Although the document avoided specific recommendations, it made it clear that Miliband regarded the status quo as unacceptable. “Constitutionally, conference is the supreme decision-making body of the party,” the document said. “But it has been undermined by the smaller number of constituency parties sending delegates, the increasing concentration of union votes and a command and control culture which was sometimes seen at odds with dissent and diversity.” Miliband’s plans are likely to generate a fierce debate at this year’s party conference in Liverpool. But he may decide to postpone a decision on some of his proposals until the publication, in October, of a report from the committee on standards in public life on the funding of political parties. This is because its recommendations are likely to have repercussions for Labour’s links with the unions. John Prescott Trade unions Ed Miliband Labour Andrew Sparrow guardian.co.uk

Posted by on August 7, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.