Tribune – Comment, news and reviews from Britain's democratic left

As the Con-Dems prepare to implement their devastating cuts on the public sector it’s a safe bet that many trade unionists are going to get pretty annoyed. That means Richard Balfe, the former Labour MEP who defected to the Tories and subsequently became David Cameron’s “trade union envoy”, is going to need all his powers of persuasion and emollience if he is to pour oil on troubled waters.

And that’s assuming the brothers and sisters open the door to him. They might have also have taken umbrage at how senior ministers see them – “dinosaurs” is Michael Gove’s description, for instance. Perhaps Mr Balfe can recognise a lost cause when he sees one.

The contest to become first general secretary of the Unite union is “a three-horse race”. Who the third horse is depends on whether you listen to assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail or rank-and-file candidate Jerry Hicks, but both may pick up votes now that Simon Dubbins and Paul Reuter have dropped out, backing Len McCluskey and Les Bayliss respectively. Mr Reuter looks likely to get a top union job if Mr Bayliss, Derek Simpson’s preferred candidate, wins out. Meanwhile, despite the election starting gun having been not merely fired but cleaned and put back in the box, Unite’s executive committee has yet to agree any protocols for conduct of the election.