GMB Apes Unite
The GMB union is the latest to be accused of bending the rules in the Labour leadership contest.
The GMB has not just encouraged members to back its chosen candidate - Ed Miliband - but has done so in a way that is childish and manipulative.
The envelopes containing ballot papers are overseen by the Electoral Reform Society - but the unions are then allowed to put these envelopes into larger ones - also containing material from the union.
The original idea was to have separate mailings - but the unions complained about the cost - and asked for a joint mailing instead.
By some amazing coincidence the GMB envelope features Ed Miliband's picture - which is presumably there on purpose - and has not appeared miraculously by chance.
Yet Labour rules state that you cannot include in the ballot envelope any literature backing a candidate.
The rules go on to say:
"Affiliates should not include any materials in the ballot envelope indicating support for individual candidates. The ballot envelope may be inserted in another union mailing, which may contain a recommendation from the trade union as to which candidate to support."
The GMB has not just encouraged members to back its chosen candidate - Ed Miliband - but has done so in a way that is childish and manipulative.
The envelopes containing ballot papers are overseen by the Electoral Reform Society - but the unions are then allowed to put these envelopes into larger ones - also containing material from the union.
The original idea was to have separate mailings - but the unions complained about the cost - and asked for a joint mailing instead.
By some amazing coincidence the GMB envelope features Ed Miliband's picture - which is presumably there on purpose - and has not appeared miraculously by chance.
Yet Labour rules state that you cannot include in the ballot envelope any literature backing a candidate.
The rules go on to say:
"Affiliates should not include any materials in the ballot envelope indicating support for individual candidates. The ballot envelope may be inserted in another union mailing, which may contain a recommendation from the trade union as to which candidate to support."
So the message comes from the envelope itself - not just what is in the envelope!
All very childish of course - and in similar vein to the Unite's decision to put its election material in a transparent envelope.
Oh how GMB and Unite bosses must have laughed at their trickery and schoolboy japes - I wonder what Unison did?
Anyway, these antics will have put an end to the special pleading about holding down costs - since envelopes with someone's picture on the outside and fancy 'transparent' envelopes - must cost a pretty penny.
The election result is due later today.
