Dempsey: don't sidestep "Reform"

Asked about the growing support for the Reform party, and how to win back to the left those trade unionists, both current and former, at Reform's recent conference, RMT GS Eddie Dempsey chose to sidestep the question. He answered, “The place for anybody who is thinking of voting for Reform is to be in their trade union, I don’t care what your political outlook is …”

This response is hardly in keeping with the spirit or letter of the motion titled “OPPOSING REFORM UK IN OUR WORKPLACE & COMMUNITIES” that was passed at this year’s RMT AGM.

As that motion points out: “We note Reform UK’s political programme pledges to divert NHS spending to private health care, cut investment in renewable energy, end Britain’s commitment to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions and to scrap employment laws. Reform UK says: ‘We must make it easier to hire and fire so that businesses can grow.’”

That party’s rise is an existential threat to the trade unions, workers, oppressed groups and the environment. For the GS to pass up the opportunity to harshly criticise Reform UK and promote union policy at the same time is both breathtakingly blasé and a dereliction of duty.

The motion calls for the development of “… of a specific training module for RMT Officers, Branch officials and workplace representatives on how to engage with trade union members and transport workers on the false claims of right-wing populist parties, particularly their targeting of migrant workers as the cause of social inequality in Britain.”

Hear, hear! And the GS should be the first to read it.

The interview with Dempsey can be viewed here.