Unite can block “opt-in” plan
The official consultation period for the Collins report on Labour-union links closes on 24 December. Then Collins, commissioned by Labour leader Ed Miliband, is due to produce proposals to go to a Labour special conference in spring 2014. The whole thing starts from a speech by Ed Miliband in July when said that individual trade unionists in affiliated unions should “opt in” to paying political levies to Labour. Since 1946 the system has been rather than individuals can “opt out”. It was “opt in” only between 1927 and 1946 under a law passed by a Tory government. Labour right-wingers want “opt...