This is our election statement. I will post the full slate later (which will include others who put forward a separate statement). "We are seeking election to represent the views of APF payers in the London Region on the Regional Labour Link Committee and at the National Labour Link Forum.
The Tory-led Coalition Government continues to drive through its plans to privatise our schools and NHS, and cut essential public services and jobs which hit the poor and the vulnerable hardest. We need to get all our members involved in the Labour Party at all levels, through affiliating to their local CLP and building links with local Councillors and MP’s to ensure that their views are heard and understood and that trade union issues are kept on the political agenda. We need to use our influence in the Labour Party to campaign for a real alternative to the coalition’s damaging cuts.
As active UNISON and Labour Party members we support the link we have with the Labour Party, and strongly believe in supporting the Party, but also in campaigning for or against change where it impacts on our members.
The recent statements made by the Labour Party leadership about public sector pay restraint and cuts have been very unwelcome and unhelpful. We believe the best way to respond is to be part of campaigns within the Party to reverse the leadership’s decision to back these damaging policies.
In less than 3 months Labour faces its biggest electoral challenge since the General Election – the London elections. We are proud of the role our union has played in the campaign to date, but we must do more in the last few essential weeks to get every UNISON member in London voting Labour. It’s time to get rid of Boris Johnson and Brian Coleman and return Ken Livingstone to City Hall and a Labour majority on the GLA".
