Blaydon MP Dave Anderson collared Gordon Brown at the Labour leadership hustings in Newcastle to raise the issue of trade union rights in Iraq.
Mr Anderson, who is the chairman of the Labour Friends of Iraq, has supported free trade unions in that beleaguered country since he was the president of the public service union, Unison.
“One of the few positives in the whole mess that is Iraq has been the rebirth of the Iraqi trade union movement, almost exterminated by Saddam Hussein,” he said.
“However, almost two years ago the Iraqi government seized the assets of the trade unions, effectively meaning that they cannot operate freely and independently. I have raised this issue constantly and I won’t let go now.”
Mr Brown has promised to pursue the matter with the Iraqis.
Peter Young’s Any Other Business column in Newcastle Evening Chronicle