Trade Union Democracy
Tony Blair brings out the most extraordinary behaviour in people.
Listening to some of what's been said over the past few days - it's incredible how many people want to have their say.
Not just those with a reasonable point of view - whether it's for or against the former Prime Minister - but completely bonkers people of every description.
One of the few interesting things I've read recently in the newspapers was a piece written by an old acquaintance - John McTernan, previously one of Tony Blair's political advisers.
Here's a brief extract from what he had to say:
"Until David Cameron came along, the Tories and their leaders simply couldn't decide what to do with Margaret Thatcher's legacy – to celebrate it or to apologise for it. But Blair knew exactly what to do. His genius was to reflect back to the public what they broadly thought – a lot of what Thatcher did was necessary, some done too harshly, some to be mitigated or reversed, but some to be accepted."
In my view, John McTernan hit the nail right on the head - because you don't have to have be a Tory to agree with some government policies from the 1980's.
The truth is that trade union democracy took a giant step forward in 1982 - when the government introduced new laws requiring a secret ballot before strike action could take place.
And the truth is that the trade unions should introduced this reform themselves - on a voluntary basis - instead of being dragged into the 20th century, as it was then - by the Thatcher government.
Before new laws were introduced - a handful of members could cast the votes of thousands of their absent colleagues - at a poorly attended branch meeting.
Many trade unionists believed this was completely nonsensical and highly undemocratic at the time - and they were absolutely right.
But union leaders didn't listen to common sense - to their shame - and the rest is history.
Listening to some of what's been said over the past few days - it's incredible how many people want to have their say.
Not just those with a reasonable point of view - whether it's for or against the former Prime Minister - but completely bonkers people of every description.
One of the few interesting things I've read recently in the newspapers was a piece written by an old acquaintance - John McTernan, previously one of Tony Blair's political advisers.
Here's a brief extract from what he had to say:
"Until David Cameron came along, the Tories and their leaders simply couldn't decide what to do with Margaret Thatcher's legacy – to celebrate it or to apologise for it. But Blair knew exactly what to do. His genius was to reflect back to the public what they broadly thought – a lot of what Thatcher did was necessary, some done too harshly, some to be mitigated or reversed, but some to be accepted."
In my view, John McTernan hit the nail right on the head - because you don't have to have be a Tory to agree with some government policies from the 1980's.
The truth is that trade union democracy took a giant step forward in 1982 - when the government introduced new laws requiring a secret ballot before strike action could take place.
And the truth is that the trade unions should introduced this reform themselves - on a voluntary basis - instead of being dragged into the 20th century, as it was then - by the Thatcher government.
Before new laws were introduced - a handful of members could cast the votes of thousands of their absent colleagues - at a poorly attended branch meeting.
Many trade unionists believed this was completely nonsensical and highly undemocratic at the time - and they were absolutely right.
But union leaders didn't listen to common sense - to their shame - and the rest is history.
