New clause 5 - Provision of money for trade union modernisation
Employment Relations Bill
3:45 pm
Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest, Conservative)
Not at all. I am glad that the hon. Gentleman asked me that question, so that I can clarify the point. It is, of course, in the interests of everyone, especially the members of the trade unions, to have efficient organisation. As I said at the outset, it is quite proper that the Government should give taxpayers' money to the unions to improve certain functions: for example, ballots, amalgamations, modernisation and so on. That is perfectly proper and I would not object to it. However, there can be no doubt that if more money is coming in from the taxpayer to the trade unions, other funds will be liberated perhaps because of greater efficiency or a different structure. Those liberated funds can then be given to a political party, and it is unlikely to be my party. New clause 5 will therefore indirectly give taxpayers' money to the political purposes of the Labour party.