TUs gagged at Warwick by No. 10 - 'sources'

Following my attack on policy freelancers from the Blairite ex-ministerial brigade. I have belatedly caught up with the Compassite-TU policy freelancers demanding a windfall tax. What were they doing at Warwick, one might ask. So I did. My sources were scathing. TU delegates to Warwick simply sat on their hands as mildly radical proposals that made it on to the agenda were mowed down by the vast majority of National Policy Forum representatives.

Even a modest suggestion that a third of the governors of academy schools should be parents was shot down. A hand or seven from the brothers and sisters would have at least enabled a debate and vote at conference. But No 10 had made clear if the TUs wanted to see any of their policy suggestions agreed, then the price was no concessions to the left of Ghengis Khan. So a windfall tax proposal at the NPF attracted a derisory number of votes - less than you can count on the fingers of two hands. And those in favour did not include either Dave Prentis or Tony Woodley (listed among the co-signatories of the windfall tax letter in yesterday's Guardian). If you want to see what was agreed at Warwick in 2004 check out this list here.

I am of course exaggerating a little. There were one or two so-called surprises reported in defiance of the Leadership. A wholly-elected second chamber, and more council housing - well, not really - those ideas have received NPF support before. The spin-meisters were just offering up morsals to pretend demonstrate members were having a say.

The really big policy issues remain undebated as command and control management continues to be the order of the Labour Party, and our standing in the polls remains less than encouraging.

Time to elect NPF representatives by one-member one-vote in all sections CLPs and TUs in particular just like for the Leadership.