by René Lavanchy
LABOUR’S affiliated unions said they rejected Tory efforts to court the labour movement this week after Richard Balfe, David Cameron’s personal envoy to the unions, suggested that a Tory government was inclined to maintain government subsidy of union learning.
Mr Balfe, a former Labour MEP who defected to the Tories in 2002, visited the TUC Congress as part of a strategy to win over union bosses and promote the Conservatives as progressive. He says Mr Cameron has told him to spend “whatever it takes”.
He is preparing to conduct a review of Unionlearn, the Government-funded programme which has trained over 200,000 representatives to promote learning opportunities through the workplace. Mr Balfe told Tribune he favoured keeping the programme: “What would be the gain from dismantling it? None, that I can see.”
He added: “The present government is carrying out policies which which even some Conservatives would blanch at”.
A CWU spokesperson rejected the suggestion: “The fact that the Tories have to have an envoy is very telling of where they are as a party”.
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Does it really matter.The majority of trade unionists will vote Conservative..many Liberal.Its very telling that unions have a “block vote” and give money..mine and many others.. to Labour when we would wish it otherwise.I could tell Balfe a home truth or two about learning opportunities,the cost and the futility.Tell him the “Country” at large is blanching at everything McCavity and team do.Never mind they will soon be back at work..Oct..Nov..maybe Dec who cares?