by Chris McLaughlin

Unions have rallied to Labour to ensure that the party is rescued from financial and political bankruptcy.

Amid warnings that a Conservative victory at the next election would put the unions and their members in the firing line, the party has been given a medium-term cash lifeline and a proposed set of policies designed to win back deserting voters.

The moves come as Gordon Brown conducts a fresh Downing Street staff reshuffle aimed at refocusing the Government’s message to the public. The strategy deployed in the launch of the new plans for the NHS is to be replicated in future with fewer announcements of policy but with a longer lead time to give voters a better chance to digest the potential benefits of what is being announced.

The appointment of former T&G official Joe Irvine this week as the new Downing Street political secretary is seen as an positive step towards more cohesive strategic thinking and a potentially significant shift towards the Labour Party and the unions.

As part of the fall-out following the arrival of City financier Stephen Carter as head of Mr brown’s office, it was announced this week that Martin Sheehan had resigned his post as head of strategic communications.

As part of the unions’ collective effort to ensure the Government embraces “bread and butter” policies which benefit voters who identify with Labour but have been turning away, more detail was released this week on a plan, revealed in Tribune last week, for a co-ordinated submission of policy amendments. The campaign is being conducted through the Trade Union and Labour Party Liaison Organisation which is preparing proposals ahead of the National Policy Forum meeting next month which will consider amendments to six policy documents that will form the backbone of the next general election manifesto.

Individual unions will present their own priorities to the party. Unison is backing free school meals for all primary school children. Unite is proposing that employees have better access to flexible leave for childcare and health issues.

The GMB has put forward a proposal for legislation for environmental workplace representatives to improve workings conditions and the environment.

With the party’s financial worries given a temporary reprieve – mainly on the guarantee of continued financing from the unions, principally Unite, which allowed the accounts to be signed off by auditors this week – the new general secretary Ray Collins is in intensive talks with officials about a long-term recovery plan.

In the wake of the humiliating Henley by-election result, the aim is to dovetail the rebuilding of the party with the adoption of realistic but election-winning policies.