Tory dinosaurs launch war on unions

Tory MP Aidan Burley, famed for attending a nazi-style stag party in France, is spearheading tomorrow's official Westminster launch of the so-called Trade Union Reform Campaign (TURC).

Star guest will be Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, who will lead the assembled company in consuming beer and sandwiches.

Another prominent leader of the campaign is disgraced former defence secretary Liam Fox, who resigned last year over links with lobbyist and close friend Adam Werritty.

TURC's first thrust will be aimed at cutting off payments by employers to trade union reps for duties performed in company time, particularly in the public sector.

A nationwide inquisition has been launched under the guise of "research" to find out how many union reps are "working on trade union activities at public expense."

Less than two weeks ago, Labour MPs beat off an assault on these payments for trade union facility time by defeating a Ten Minute Rule Bill promoted by Tory MP Jesse Norman.

But TURC is determined to renew the attack, spurred on by enthusiastic support from Mr Pickles and warm sympathy from Prime Minister David Cameron.

TURC chairman Mr Burley is proud of a letter he received from Mr Cameron last November declaring that he was "pleased that you have decided to establish the Trade Union Reform Campaign."

The PM added: "I strongly believe the current level of public subsidy to the trade unions cannot be sustained, either morally or economically."

Three weeks later, Mr Burley was sacked as parliamentary private secretary at the Transport Ministry following his presence at a nasty stag party which included nazi salutes, toasts to the Third Reich and a man strutting around in SS uniform.

Mr Cameron promised "a full investigation into the matter," but Mr Burley is still a Tory MP who will be feted tonight by Cabinet big-hitter Eric Pickles.

Among Tory MPs on the "parliamentary council" of TURC alongside the damaged Mr Fox is tax reduction expert Karen Bradley, who was elected in 2010.

Ms Bradley is keen to slash public money paid to trade union reps, but she is proud of her record in helping companies to "manage" their payments to the exchequer when she worked as a specialist tax accountant for Deloitte & Touche and KPMG.

TURC chief executive is Mark Clarke, who is a director of right-wing youth group Young Britons Foundation, which aims to "directly combat left-wing bias in the education system and the mainstream media."

Labour MP and former minister John Healey warned today that TURC had been set up to do "the political dirty work" in advance of government moves against the unions.

Veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner said the TURC launch "demonstrates that there is a hard right-wing core of Tory MPs who still harbour the idea of outlawing trade unions."

Left MP Ian Lavery said: "It's the same old Tories, but nastier than before. We must keep a close eye on extreme factions such as this."

He added: "For a minister in Mr Pickles's position to attend such a gathering is outrageous."

rogerbagley@peoples-press.com

TURC spells trouble for unions, says MP

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