Getting to Work

Len McCluskey, the leader of Unite, has been banging on recently about the need to have more 'working class' Labour MPs - people who live relatively ordinary lives and know about the cost of living - for example, the price of bread or a pint of milk.

I think that's the message he's trying to put across anyway.

I was struck by this thought at the weekend as the newspapers reported on the early retirement package of the TUC general secretary - Brendan Barber - who departed the scene earlier this year after a lifetime of working at the TUC.

Now the thing that jumped out at me was the fact that Brendan's pay package as TUC boss included an annual allowance of £45,000 for the provision of a driver and a car - in other words a chauffeur.

Which I've commented on before on the blog site because it's strikes me as absurd that in this day and age - Britain's top union boss was willing to put up with this kind of arrangement.

Instead of using public transport in London like most working people and ordinary union members - or his own private car from time to time, if that proved necessary.

I hope that the new TUC leader - Frances O'Grady - has put an end to this practice because it's completely embarrassing and gives the distinct impressions that unions are stuck in the past.

Especially against the background of someone like Ken Livingstone as London Mayor making his way into work on the Tube - or his successor Boris Johnson cycling into the Mayor's office by bike.

Now I'm sure Ken and Boris had the use of fancy Mayoral cars when required, but they at least seemed to understand that the symbolism of a private chauffeur was all wrong - and that was long before the 'age of austerity'.

If the TUC hasn't done so already, it should surely follow the lead given by Ken and Boris - and maybe even Len McCluskey, as a member of the mighty TUC General Council, could help nudge things in the right direction.