Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/559/6679
From The Socialist newspaper, 3 December 2008
A Christmas message from the Unite leadership
Good news of great joy: A message from Unite the union to its members: "The return of real Labour? A welcome move towards progressive politics and Labour's natural constituency."
Mick Cotter
Derek Simpson went on to laud prime minister Gordon Brown as a "man of action". Tony Woodley praised the government for "helping the people of this country weather the economic storm."
That's the Xmas message from the 'not very likely awkward lads' Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley, joint general secretaries of Britain's largest union Unite (at least it will be when they finally stop squabbling and finalise the merger). The real question should be are they blind or just plain stupid? Probably neither, but they probably think we are. £550 billion quid to the bankers, no guarantees, no control, and they can probably keep some of their bonuses; (don't forget this is not an investment but a bail out from the mess they've already got us in). A question for our two messengers: if a Unite member was as negligent at work as these bankers, would they support them at a tribunal?
What do we get? 2.5% off the standard rate of VAT, of course it doesn't include heating fuel or most necessities like food, and a few other crumbs thrown in to keep the gen secs quiet.
Difference is of course ordinary working people will have to pay it back in tax increases and other cuts in living standards in the future.
Nobody is fooled by the higher earners' tax increase. We all know they can afford to pay accountants to avoid paying it.
So perhaps Del boy and Rodney would like to ask the question again? Yeah, right, and this time next year we'll all be millionaires.
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In The Socialist 3 December 2008:
Job losses
Fight back now against job cuts
Fighting the threatened closure of Hoover factory
Environment and socialism
Socialist Party editorial
Socialist Party campaigns
Judiciary challenged over the right to protest
Building a left wing political alternative
Southampton uni students fight fees
Liverpool: mobilising against the far right
Comment
Social workers demand proper resources
Secondary education: PFI's gloss soon peels away
Socialist Party LGBT
Socialist Party Marxist analysis
Crisis-hit capitalism fears prospect of revolution
International socialist news and analysis
Venezuela elections: Chávez wins victory but opposition gains ground
Marxist analysis: history
The Isle of Man general strike 1918: Workers' power paralysed government
Socialist Party news and analysis
Help fund the alternative to big business politics
Socialist women: Looking at the past to take action today
Housing crisis
Socialist Party workplace news
Vote 'no' to BT's pension cuts
A Christmas message from the Unite leadership
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