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| Ed Miliband's TUC speech receives lukewarm reception | Ed Miliband's TUC speech receives lukewarm reception |
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| Ed Miliband has described trade unionists as "the backbone of Britain that kept the country going" as he offered TUC delegates a raft of policies designed to change the world of work but rejected calls to rule out pay restraint or spending controls if elected. | Ed Miliband has described trade unionists as "the backbone of Britain that kept the country going" as he offered TUC delegates a raft of policies designed to change the world of work but rejected calls to rule out pay restraint or spending controls if elected. |
| Despite the many crowd-pleasing offers on zero-hours contracts, internships, capping the cost of debt, gangmaster licensing and the living wage, the Labour leader's 20-minute speech was heard in respectful silence, with the Bournemouth hall only coming truly alight when he was challenged that his policies on austerity were confusing and contradictory. | Despite the many crowd-pleasing offers on zero-hours contracts, internships, capping the cost of debt, gangmaster licensing and the living wage, the Labour leader's 20-minute speech was heard in respectful silence, with the Bournemouth hall only coming truly alight when he was challenged that his policies on austerity were confusing and contradictory. |
| After his speech, Miliband met union leaders affiliated to the party to discuss his plans for reforms to the union-party link. It was made clear he was not seeking to amend the union block vote or the union vote in Labour's electoral college in the immediate round of proposed changes. | After his speech, Miliband met union leaders affiliated to the party to discuss his plans for reforms to the union-party link. It was made clear he was not seeking to amend the union block vote or the union vote in Labour's electoral college in the immediate round of proposed changes. |
| Some, but not all, of the affiliated unions are opposed to Miliband's plans, with Dave Prentis, the general secretary of Unison, the public services union, emerging as one of the biggest opponents. Prentis issued an angry statement saying Labour seemed focused on irrelevant infighting with trade unions, leaving the Conservatives "rubbing their hands in glee". | Some, but not all, of the affiliated unions are opposed to Miliband's plans, with Dave Prentis, the general secretary of Unison, the public services union, emerging as one of the biggest opponents. Prentis issued an angry statement saying Labour seemed focused on irrelevant infighting with trade unions, leaving the Conservatives "rubbing their hands in glee". |
| Prentis said there were a lot of obstacles to achieving Miliband's goal of a membership of 500,000-strong Labour party, including 300,000 new individually affiliated members. He said his union would not provide the party with a list of its members due to data protection rules, and added he would not mount a special campaign to get more individual Unison members to join the party. | Prentis said there were a lot of obstacles to achieving Miliband's goal of a membership of 500,000-strong Labour party, including 300,000 new individually affiliated members. He said his union would not provide the party with a list of its members due to data protection rules, and added he would not mount a special campaign to get more individual Unison members to join the party. |
| Prentis said: "He talks about having the courage to change but I was always told if something ain't broke, why fix it?" | Prentis said: "He talks about having the courage to change but I was always told if something ain't broke, why fix it?" |
| The GMB has also ruled out co-operating in such a campaign and has cut its affiliation. | The GMB has also ruled out co-operating in such a campaign and has cut its affiliation. |
| By contrast, Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, said the speech started to seal the deal between the unions and the party, adding it was the work of a real leader. | By contrast, Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, said the speech started to seal the deal between the unions and the party, adding it was the work of a real leader. |
| Miliband had told delegates he was determined to press ahead with plans to change the union-party link by requiring unions to be affiliated to the party on the basis of individual affiliation and choice, rather than collective affiliation in which the union member has no say. | Miliband had told delegates he was determined to press ahead with plans to change the union-party link by requiring unions to be affiliated to the party on the basis of individual affiliation and choice, rather than collective affiliation in which the union member has no say. |
| The reforms will go to the Labour spring conference, but party officials said they would not at this stage include changes to the size of the union vote at party conference or in the electoral college for the leadership. | The reforms will go to the Labour spring conference, but party officials said they would not at this stage include changes to the size of the union vote at party conference or in the electoral college for the leadership. |
| One said: "I don't like the situation where we're taking money in respect of members who might not want that to happen." | One said: "I don't like the situation where we're taking money in respect of members who might not want that to happen." |
| The official said it had never been the intention to make those changes at the spring conference, saying: "There may be consequences for other parts of the party but you have to get the sequence right." He said the rightwing press were setting an excessively high bar for what would represent change in the Labour party. | The official said it had never been the intention to make those changes at the spring conference, saying: "There may be consequences for other parts of the party but you have to get the sequence right." He said the rightwing press were setting an excessively high bar for what would represent change in the Labour party. |
| The most direct criticism of Miliband came during a post-speech question-and-answer session with delegates. Janice Godrich, president of the Public and Commercial Services union, criticised Labour's commitment to a pay freeze and spending plans, saying: "Your policies seem contradictory and they're confusing people. Can we get a clear answer: are you for or against austerity?" | The most direct criticism of Miliband came during a post-speech question-and-answer session with delegates. Janice Godrich, president of the Public and Commercial Services union, criticised Labour's commitment to a pay freeze and spending plans, saying: "Your policies seem contradictory and they're confusing people. Can we get a clear answer: are you for or against austerity?" |
| Drawing applause from the audience, Miliband said he was opposed to the coalition's austerity programme, pointing out that Labour supports a capital investment programme now. But he added: "I am not going to pretend there are easy choices for the next Labour government. There will be a deficit we will have to reduce. We are going to have strict spending limits. The easy thing for me is to come along and make a whole set of promises and then afterwards you say you have not kept your promises. We have to be credible and get the deficit down." | Drawing applause from the audience, Miliband said he was opposed to the coalition's austerity programme, pointing out that Labour supports a capital investment programme now. But he added: "I am not going to pretend there are easy choices for the next Labour government. There will be a deficit we will have to reduce. We are going to have strict spending limits. The easy thing for me is to come along and make a whole set of promises and then afterwards you say you have not kept your promises. We have to be credible and get the deficit down." |
| Miliband tried to reach out to the core agenda of the TUC, saying his aim was to change the world of work, promising there would be no more free schools, and hinted broadly that he would support rail re-nationalisation. | Miliband tried to reach out to the core agenda of the TUC, saying his aim was to change the world of work, promising there would be no more free schools, and hinted broadly that he would support rail re-nationalisation. |
| He added he was "crystal clear" there needed to be legislation to end abuses on zero-hours contracts and said he was "incredibly worried" about the cost of industrial tribunal fees, saying: "Be in no doubt about my commitment to changing the world of work." | He added he was "crystal clear" there needed to be legislation to end abuses on zero-hours contracts and said he was "incredibly worried" about the cost of industrial tribunal fees, saying: "Be in no doubt about my commitment to changing the world of work." |
| Miliband was asked to commit to all schools being brought back into statutory frameworks for admissions and governance, with local authorities being given powers to plan for places and the opening of new state schools. | Miliband was asked to commit to all schools being brought back into statutory frameworks for admissions and governance, with local authorities being given powers to plan for places and the opening of new state schools. |
| He said: "We have been absolutely clear we are not going to have new free schools under a Labour government." He said 50% of free schools had been opened in areas of surpluses. | He said: "We have been absolutely clear we are not going to have new free schools under a Labour government." He said 50% of free schools had been opened in areas of surpluses. |
| Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "The NUT welcomes Miliband's statement of his intention to tackle the scandal of zero-hours contracts. There is no place for these and other exploitative employment conditions which deny basic rights to security and equality. | Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "The NUT welcomes Miliband's statement of his intention to tackle the scandal of zero-hours contracts. There is no place for these and other exploitative employment conditions which deny basic rights to security and equality. |
| "Agency supply teachers in particular need to be able to access the same pay and pension entitlements as their directly employed colleagues and we believe a review of the operation of the agency worker regulations is also needed. | "Agency supply teachers in particular need to be able to access the same pay and pension entitlements as their directly employed colleagues and we believe a review of the operation of the agency worker regulations is also needed. |
| "We welcome his reassurance that there will be no more free schools under a Labour government and that local authorities must be returned to having a proper and pivotal role in education." | "We welcome his reassurance that there will be no more free schools under a Labour government and that local authorities must be returned to having a proper and pivotal role in education." |
| Bob Crow, leader of the Rail Maritime and Transport union said: "This was a wasted opportunity to engage with the trade unions from a Labour leader who looks like a terrified rabbit caught in the glare of the Tory headlights." | Bob Crow, leader of the Rail Maritime and Transport union said: "This was a wasted opportunity to engage with the trade unions from a Labour leader who looks like a terrified rabbit caught in the glare of the Tory headlights." |
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