Tribune – news, features and comment from Britain's left-wing magazine

Labour’s grassroots have petitioned the leadership to scrap the Trident nuclear deterrent in the run-up to the party finalising its manifesto for the general election. Calls to ditch the planned replacement of nuclear missiles and submarines, estimated officially at £15-£20 billion but by anti-nuclear campaigners as much at nearer £75 billion, are among the most popular in the policy submissions being sent in by constituency parties. They were due to be passed to manifesto co-ordinator Ed Miliband as he met with members of Labour’s National Executive Committee and its National Policy Forum on Thursday this week.

Talks between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union aimed at preventing another nationwide strike are due to conclude next week, Tribune has learned.

A new scheme to slash public spending by merging local services and making better use of resources, which the Government claims could save £20 billion, is in danger of being used as “a cleaver for cuts”, public sector union Unison has warned.

The fate of East Lothian MP Anne Moffat is to be decided by a special meeting of Labour chiefs following a long and acrimonious tussle with local party members.

A new study from the European Union’s industrial relations observatory highlights how trade unions across Europe are adapting their strategies to deal with falling membership in crisis-hit sectors and a new industrial landscape.

The Unite union was confident of forcing British Airways back to the negotiating table this week after it announced an overwhelming majority of cabin crew members had voted again to strike over reductions in staffing on long-haul flights.

The Government’s funding cuts will lead to the best academic talent deserting British universities for the United States and other countries, American scientific leaders warned this week.

Peter Robinson, the chairman of Stalybridge and Hyde Constituency Labour Party, said this week that constituency activists were “shocked” and “surprised” by James Purnell’s decision to give up his seat at the next election.

The importance of putting Irish unity on the political agenda in Britain was the message at last Saturday’s 500-strong conference at the TUC organised by Sinn Féin. Opening the conference, Sinn Féin vice-president Pat Doherty said: “The Good Friday Agreement clearly recognises that it is for the people of the island of Ireland to determine our own future – to exercise our self-determination.”

Plans to shift control of Parliament from government to MPs are doomed to failure because ministers are acquiescing in having them killed off by stalling tactics, an MP and reform campaigner has warned.