Jack Straw is not going to improve Labour's electoral prospects by attempting to break the link between the Labour Party and the trade unions. Today, the Guardian reports his latest ideas for publication in a White Paper on party funding as a follow through to the Hayden Phillips' Inquiry. It is badly thought through, like the abolition of the 10p tax band and the extention of detention without charge to 42-days. This particular article headlines union opposition. The affiliated trades unions are not alone in opposing the state interfering in the constitutional affairs of political parties. There are large numbers of individual party members who are opposed to that, along with the parallel idea of increased state-funding of political parties to keep career politicians in office.
Just because there are elections going on does not mean collective organisation is alseep, dormant or dead. Labour has to revive itself as a collective voluntary organisation from its grassroots up both in terms of membership and money. Even if good governance were restored who would want to let Labour Party HO have exclusive control of the Party's finances? Collectivism has to be restored to its rightful place in our political culture. Career politicians need be held to account. If Labour in government doesn't get its collective head round this pdq, it will be dealt with severely by the electorate, and deservedly so.