Author: garykent

Union fury at Stop the War coalition’s sectarianism Patrick Wintour, Kevin Maguire and Michael White Saturday October 23, 2004 The Guardian The public sector union Unison has threatened to sever its relations with the Stop the War coalition, whose internal strains have prompted one prominent leftwinger to resign. It accused the coalition yesterday of seeking to undermine its general secretary, Dave Prentis, and of abusing officials of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions because the federation wants the US-led forces to stay in place at least until the Iraqi elections in January. Earlier this week the coaltion founding member Mick … Continue reading Guardian report on strains within Stop the War Coalition

Mick Rix, trade unionist and former General Secretary of ASLEF, has resigned from the Stop the War Coalition steering committee. He says: “I do not agree with assertions made over the conduct of union delegations at the Labour party in the recent statement, and indeed the attacks made on Abdullah [Muhsin, the UK representative of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions]. I think in these difficult times, the recent outbursts that have been made, and the personalisation have vastly reduced our influence and support in the movement. I thought it would have been better and more democratic, before these statements … Continue reading Mick Rix resigns from Stop the War steering committee

Business Statement, House of Commons, Thursday 14th October Mr. Harry Barnes (North-East Derbyshire) (Lab): May I press for that debate on Iraq? There are people with different perspectives on the matter, ranging from my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith), who asked for the debate, to my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House. There are some of us who believe in a third way – I thought that the Government might be interested in third ways. We say that the invasion itself was wrong and that some of its consequences were predictable, but that everything … Continue reading LFIQ President Harry Barnes MP proposes Third Way on Iraq

We appreciate Labour MP Geraldine Smith’s concerns (Mirror, 14th October) but suggest that she also addresses the immediate need to back brave Iraqis trying to build independent trade unions and women’s groups as well as new parties and newspapers in order to create a democratic Iraq. They need all our help. Gary Kent Director Labour Friends of Iraq