Not so long ago the TUC was inviting the Confederation of British Industry onto its conference platform: but this year capitalist "fat
Tuesday was Blair day. "Blair escapes mauling" was how one
paper presented it. But all the spin in the world cannot hide
the fact that delegates, though respectful, found Blair's speech
dificult to swallow.
Trying to make the case for war, he convinced no one. Indeed, his evasions served to emphasise the vacuity of his argument. Telling us that Saddam Hussein has a wretched human rights record is beside the point.
And on domestic matters it was no better. What we had was a lecture on trade union "indulgence". After telling us what a great job Labour has done - after all "we have given union learning reps proper recognition in law!" - we were blamed for the defeats of Labour in 1948, 1969 and 1979.
And worse - the lesson we have to learn from the collapse of social democratic governments across Europe is that this is what happens when they "desert the centre ground, or where the Left has split its vote."
For his speech a number of union delegations wore "Not in our name" t-shirts in protest against the threat of war: UNISON delegates were also going to do so - but to stifle this action the delegation agreed that all UNISON delegates should wear anti-privatisation shirts. A sign of the times - to have done that in the past would have led to rebukes, now it's what is necessary to stop something worse!
"A muted reception" fails to properly describe the way Blair was treated. His speech was applauded only when he referred to others in the room. Mostly it was stony silence. The end saw a half minute standing ovation from less than half the room.
Even the youth award recipient got better than that. In previous years delegates have been dragged to their feet if they Failed to stand up for the main Labour speaker - not this time Wreckers win applause A key debates for Wednesday was on privatisation. In a foretaste of the debate at Labour Party conference, delegates unanimously backed a composite opposing any privatisation and demanding the TUC mount a united campaign to increase public sector pay. The mood has clearly shifted - no longer prepared to hold back, delegate after delegate launched bitter attacks on the destruction of public services being waged by the Labour government. Why should all the "extra investment" the government was now supposed to be making be going straight into the pockets of privatising companies instead of being invested in real improvements in public services and decent pay for public sector workers.? Mary Turner of the GMB, no friend of the left over the years, summed up the mood, winning a standing ovation wearing a "proud to be a wrecker" t-shirt. .. .. Much work behind the scenes ensured that some left ••
the script. threat of war. *Labour
profit TUC Blackpool 2002 Compass
profit