Huge
applause followed when he went on to say it was probably just as well
considering recent events.
But
the massive crowd gave warm support to TUSC national steering
committee member Bob Crow, RMT transport union general secretary, who
called for the trade union movement to work for the creation of 'a
new party of labour' to challenge head on the pro-business,
anti-worker agenda of the three main political parties, Tory, Labour,
and the Liberal Democrats.
Speaking
in advance of the Gala, Bob Crow said: "Over the past week we
have seen Ed Miliband dancing to the tune of Tony Blair and the rest
of the New Labour conspirators as he seeks to hack away at the last
remaining shreds of influence held by those who created the party
that he leads, the trade unions.
"If
others want to stick around and be insulted by those whose only
interest is our money and not our ideas then that's a matter for
them, for the rest, there is a whole world of opportunity outside the
constraints of the Labour Party and the RMT would urge them to
embrace it and join us in this new political project.
"RMT
was expelled from the Labour Party almost a decade ago and in that
time we have actually increased our political influence as we have
had the freedom to back candidates and parties who demonstrate clear
support for this trade union and its policies.
"If
others now join us after the contempt that they have been shown by Ed
Miliband then together we have a world to win.
"This
is a moment of huge opportunity for all those sick and tired of
Labour's embrace of pro-business, pro-EU, neo-liberal policies and we
should seize it with both hands.
"While
this rotten Con-Dem government seeks to impose punitive charges on
anyone seeking justice at an Employment Tribunal from this summer the
Labour Party have said nothing.
"The
whole programme of Labour now is to try and sneak into government by
default on the basis of a manifesto that could trade under the title
'Carry on Cutting'.
"Our
job is not to prop up the political class behind this racket, our job
is to sweep it away.
"With
the latest assault by Labour on the unions the time is right to start
building an alternative political party that speaks for working
people and the working class communities that find themselves under
the most brutal attack from cuts and austerity in a generation.
"Clinging
to the wreckage of a Labour Party that didn't lift a finger to repeal
the anti-union laws despite thirteen years in power is a complete
waste of time. The time for an alternative party of labour is now".
Bob's
call follows the recent decision of the RMT's annual conference to
re-affirm the union's participation in the Trade Unionist and
Socialist Coalition (see
http://www.tusc.org.uk/16803/06-07-2013/rmt-conference-re-affirms-union-support-for-tusc
) as the first step in the long-term task of building independent
working class political representation.
Checkout TUSC at www.tusc.org.uk
