Trade unionists are putting themselves on the path to obscurity

Jeremy Corbyn is the trade unions’ favourite candidate for Labour leader. From the more militant folks at Unite to the moderates at Unison, the comrades are buying into ‘Jez we can’. But this is not only about electing their man, some trade unionists are on a greater mission to stamp out to Blairite ‘virus’ from the party. The author of that controversial remark, Dave Ward of the Communication Workers’ Union, defended it on the Today programme this morning (quotes via PoliticsHome):

‘I stand by what I said yesterday, and the virus that I’m referring to is the policies and the approach of the likes of Peter Mandelson, who seem to continually push these sweeping statements that what this contest is all about is about Labour winning an election, it’s all about being credible, it’s all about moving back to what he describes as the centre ground of British politics.’

‘And all I’m saying is that we need, within the Labour party, to have a fundamental debate on what the party stands for before we move back to those types of positions.