Miliband defends plan to lessen grip of unions despite £4m cost
SENIOR Labour figures have sought to defend Ed Miliband’s plan to shake up the party’s relationship with trade unions, amid concerns it will cost around £4m a year and give MPs less say in leadership elections.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr programme yesterday, deputy leader of the party Harriet Harman said the reforms, which will force union members to double opt-in if they want to vote for a new party leader, are “a good thing”.
“This will reinvigorate the party at local level. I think it will breathe fresh life into the Labour party. A lot of people feel that politics is out of touch and people in parties don’t understand their lives,” she added.
Miliband announced changes to the relationship between trade unions and Labour over the weekend. From the end of 2014 new union members will have to opt-in and pay £3 to join the party. There will also be changes to party funding, phased in over the next five years, and a revamp of the electoral college.