Labour loses union rank and file

The author is a retired trade unionist. He prefers to remain anonymous.

I attended a Unite demo against the Lindsey Oil refinery a few days ago. It was well attended, and we listened to General Secretary Sharon Graham, who explained that she and some of the workers will meet ministers next week. She said that 15 bids has been received for the refinery. Presumably we will find out more next week.

At the demo, I spoke to many workers and union reps. I asked several of the reps whether they were ideologues or ‘for the workers’. While I would not have been able to ask that question six months ago, it’s now clear that we are in a new era: they can all see (excuse the pun) which way the wind is blowing. It is no longer a badge of honour to broadcast green credentials in Unite. Notably, there was no interest in ‘green jobs’ (unless you count the one speaker who asked if Deliveroo riders on electric scooters counted).

That said, the workers have moved further in their views than the reps, and much further than the upper echelons, who still love and respect Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn. Among the root and branch, Miliband is hated with a passion, and Michael Shanks is close behind. Several mentioned that Miliband has been missing in action since the Lindsey closure was first threatened.

Most of the workers suggested they will vote Reform unless Lindsey is saved. One guy, who said he represented 60 members, reckoned that 57 of them would vote for team Farage.

Another guy was there with his 21-year old son, who had just become a father and fears the scrap heap if the refinery closes. Ed Miliband has no idea the depth of anger and feeling of being let down felt by these people.