Former Shadow Minister Chris Williamson explains why the time has come for the trade unions to walk away from Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.
When Sir @Keir_Starmer's Labour Party fails to deliver on the @fbunational's valid demands, will the FBU remain affiliated to the party?
— Chris Williamson (@DerbyChrisW) October 10, 2024
It's time all unions left this abusive relationship with the Labour Party to help build an alternative to Westminster's neoliberal consensus. pic.twitter.com/mTVRVkWc4I
Abandon Neo Liberalism and Leave the Abusive Relationship Behind
The relationship between the UK trade union movement and the Labour Party has been historically significant, shaping British politics for over a century. However, recent developments, particularly under the leadership of Keir Starmer, have raised serious questions about the continued alignment of the two entities. Starmer’s Labour, in its pursuit of electoral success, has abandoned some of the core principles that once bound it to the trade unions. Given the ideological divergence between the Labour Party and the unions’ goals of workers’ empowerment, many within the trade union movement are now contemplating whether it is time to sever ties with the party that no longer seems to represent their interests. There are numerous reasons why the UK trade union movement should seriously consider abandoning Starmer’s Labour, ranging from policy betrayals, the erosion of worker rights advocacy, and the diminishing role of unions within the party itself.
Firstly, there is the question of political representation. The Labour Party was born out of the trade union movement in the early 20th century, designed to be a political arm for the working class. It provided a platform where the concerns of workers could be expressed, from demands for better working conditions to more equitable economic structures. However, under Starmer’s leadership, the Labour Party has increasingly moved away from its working-class roots and has focused more on courting middle-class voters, particularly in Southern England, in an attempt to broaden its electoral appeal. While this may be seen as a pragmatic approach to winning elections, it has resulted in the alienation of the very people and institutions that originally gave life to the Labour movement. The shift from a party that prioritised workers’ interests to one that seeks to distance itself from traditional union concerns raises fundamental questions about Labour’s continued relevance to the trade union movement.
Starmer’s efforts to move the party closer to the political centre have been widely criticised as ideological betrayal. While Tony Blair’s “New Labour” project in the 1990s also sought to modernise the party and appeal to a broader electorate, it did so in a different political context. Blair’s Labour was rooted in a period of economic optimism and globalisation, where neoliberal policies were gaining widespread political support across the Western world. Starmer, however, is operating in a post-austerity and post-Brexit Britain, where inequality has widened and the socio-economic circumstances of the working class have deteriorated. Yet, instead of pushing for radical change to address these systemic issues, Starmer has largely maintained a cautious and uninspiring policy agenda that fails to address the structural inequalities facing workers.
One of the key areas where Starmer has failed to represent union interests is in his reluctance to commit to transformative labour market reforms. For example, during his leadership campaign, Starmer initially promised to embrace many of the socialist policies put forward by his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, including nationalisation of key industries, an increase in workers’ rights, and a strengthened trade union movement. However, once in power, Starmer quickly distanced himself from these promises. His party’s current platform offers little in the way of substantial reforms that would empower workers or reverse the damage caused by over a decade of Conservative government policies that have weakened trade unions and eroded workers’ rights.
Starmer’s Labour has also been notably silent on the issue of anti-trade union legislation. The Conservative government introduced and maintained some of the most restrictive trade union laws in Europe, making it harder for unions to organise and strike. While the Labour Party historically fought against these laws, Starmer has not committed to fully repealing them. For the trade union movement, this is a crucial issue. The right to strike and to organise are fundamental to the ability of unions to advocate on behalf of their members. By failing to take a strong stance on these laws, Starmer is effectively signalling that Labour is no longer willing to fight for one of the cornerstones of trade union power.
Another significant concern for the unions is the diminishing influence they now have within the Labour Party itself. Historically, unions played a central role in shaping party policy, with Labour conference votes often determining the party’s direction on key issues related to workers. However, under Starmer’s leadership, the influence of unions within Labour has been eroded. Starmer has made it clear that he wants to reduce the power of the unions within the party, sidelining their input in favour of his leadership team’s own centrist agenda. This has been particularly evident in the way that policy decisions are now made within the party, with Starmer relying more on internal party committees and a tight circle of advisors rather than consulting with the trade unions. This top-down approach to leadership not only alienates unions but also undermines the democratic traditions of the party itself.
For the trade union movement, this marginalisation is not just symbolic; it has real consequences for their ability to achieve meaningful change for their members. The Labour Party has always been the political vehicle through which unions could advocate for improved wages, working conditions, and employment rights. However, if the unions no longer have a meaningful voice within the party, they are unable to influence the political agenda in the way that they once could. This raises a fundamental question for the unions: if they are no longer able to influence Labour policy, then what is the point of maintaining their relationship with the party?
There is also the issue of Starmer’s broader political strategy, which seems to prioritise appeasing right-wing media and business interests over standing up for workers. In an effort to present himself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives, Starmer has gone to great lengths to avoid any association with radical left-wing policies or movements. This has included distancing himself from the Green New Deal, a policy that many within the trade union movement support as it promises to create green jobs and address the climate crisis through large-scale public investment. By rejecting these kinds of transformative policies, Starmer is not only alienating trade unions but also missing a key opportunity to galvanise a broad coalition of progressive voters who are concerned about inequality, workers’ rights, and the environment.
Moreover, Starmer’s focus on fiscal responsibility and reducing public spending, while politically expedient in terms of appealing to centrist voters, is at odds with the needs of workers. After years of austerity under Conservative governments, public services are severely underfunded, and workers in key sectors like health, education, and transport are struggling with low pay, poor working conditions, and understaffing. Yet, Starmer’s Labour has not committed to the kind of bold public investment that would be required to address these issues. This has created a growing sense of frustration within the trade union movement, as the Labour Party under Starmer appears more interested in maintaining the status quo than in fighting for the transformative changes that unions believe are necessary to improve the lives of their members.
Perhaps one of the most telling signs that the Labour Party is no longer a natural ally of the trade union movement is Starmer’s handling of the internal divisions within the party. Since becoming leader, Starmer has overseen a purge of left-wing members, many of whom are aligned with the trade union movement. This has included the suspension of prominent figures like Jeremy Corbyn, who remains a popular figure within the trade union movement for his unwavering support for workers’ rights. By marginalising the left wing of the party, Starmer is effectively silencing the voices that have historically championed the interests of the working class and the unions. This has led to a growing perception that Starmer’s Labour was and is more concerned with winning over former Conservative voters than it is with representing the interests of workers and their unions.
For the trade union movement, this raises an uncomfortable truth: the Labour Party under Keir Starmer is no longer a party that is committed to the kind of radical change that is needed to address the deep-seated inequalities facing workers in the UK. If the Labour Party is no longer willing to fight for workers, then unions must ask themselves whether their continued support for the party is still justified. Trade unions are membership organisations, accountable to their members, and if their members feel that Labour no longer represents their interests, then unions have a duty to act.
One option for the unions is to explore alternative political avenues. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the possibility of creating a new workers’ party, one that would be explicitly committed to representing the interests of the working class. While the electability of a new party presents a challenging and long-term project, it is an option that some within the trade union movement are already considering. Alternatively, unions could look to support other existing political parties, such as the Green Party, which has been more vocal in its support for trade unions and workers’ rights than Labour under Starmer. While these options may seem radical, they reflect the growing frustration within the trade union movement with the direction that Labour has taken under Starmer’s leadership.
The UK trade union movement is at a crossroads. The Labour Party, under Keir Starmer’s leadership, has drifted away from its roots as a party of the working class and has adopted a more centrist, cautious approach that prioritises electoral success over the needs of workers. This ideological shift has left many within the trade union movement feeling alienated and marginalised, with little influence over Labour’s policy direction. Given this, it is becoming increasingly clear that the trade unions need to re-evaluate their relationship with the Labour Party. Whether this means supporting alternative political parties or creating a new workers’ party, the unions must act in the interests of their members and not remain beholden to a party that no longer represents their core values. The trade union movement has always been about empowering workers and fighting for their rights, and if Labour is no longer willing to champion that cause, then it is time for the unions to chart a new political course.
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