Magna Carta Moneybomb and LUAF

Lancaster 'Unity' in one of their latest postings take issue with the National Liberal Party appealing for donations from the public. The NLP have launched an appeal to coincide with the anniversary of Magna Carta being signed (this Sunday, June 15th). Their aim is to get individuals to pledge to donate before the day and to donate on Sunday. They have stated that they want to make civil liberties a General Election issue.

To this end they have a dedicated website and they have produced a short video message.

I have no idea how much money will be raised by this appeal. The target set appears over ambitious. Having said that, however, two points need to be made.

1. Unlike the establishment parties the NLP don't benefit from public subsidy. I can't see what objection there is in seeking donations from Joe Public! The money raised will be used to support NLP candidates who will raise issues in their election addresses and during the campaign. No one will benefit personally and all money will be properly accounted for according to law.

2. There is some time between now and our General Election and the NLP are likely to experiment with all kinds of fund-raising methods till that date. The moneybomb is uncharted territory in the UK but it shows that the NLP are raising their game. They will build their profile over time and increase support.

It is certain that civil liberties in the UK are gradually being eroded. The vote last night to extend the period of detention without trial is just the latest example. It shouldn't shock anyone that I support NLP attempts to raise debate on this. I have a long record supporting the human and civil rights of unpopular minorities whether BNP or asylum seekers!

An Inspector Calls?

'Lancaster Unity' have published an interesting article:- Lancaster Unity: TU Certification Office investigating Solidarity

The infantile leftists at the LU blog have a lot to say about the Solidarity Union (little of it accurate). Let's take a look at their latest assertions and arguments.

They begin by reproducing the statement from the Certification Office announcing an enquiry into Solidarity. Then they state:-

"It is a very strange thing indeed that the supposed General Secretary of a supposed trade union only thinks it "possible" that the Certification Office is a "neutral party", as if he had no idea what the Certification Office existed for."

Really? Do they find it strange that some members of our Union doubt the neutrality of a State agency? A State agency which has been bombarded with letters from our Union rivals, traitors and political opponents seeking to pressurise them into closing our Union down. How odd of them! For the record, I still entertain the hope that the CO is neutral - time will tell whether I or the cynics are right. I fully expect that once presented with the evidence the CO will discount the many malicious and vexatious allegations which have been made against our independent Union.

'Lancaster Unity' then seek to question what services our Union provides. It is a matter of record that we have provided members with representation at various stages of grievance procedures, benefits appeals, disciplinary hearings, ACAS concilliation, and have put in cases on their behalf to Employment Tribunals. Our last case resulted in a negotiated settlement (including a confidentiality clause) to the benefit of a member who quit his job. To argue that we have only one case is inaccurate and childish. So far we have represented around twenty of our members in different respects. We have attended meetings at Astra Zenica, GNER, Cummings, Middlesbrough FC, Alliance and Leicester, County Durham and 'Harvey Nicks' to name a few. 'Lancaster Unity' may not like our Union for political reasons but there is little point in them making assertions which can be disproved with ease.

Next they state:-

"As we have seen in past articles, it is very far from being the "One Big Union" of Harrington's vaulting aspirations, having only 211 members (allegedly), and having stirred little interest among the BNP membership at which it aims itself. Its annual conference was a tawdry hole and corner affair hedged about with tight security, and attended by only 27 members - almost a third of those sitting on the Executive platform."

Solidarity continues to recruit. We announced the figure of 211 members some time ago. Each week more join. Members of the BNP join our Union because we are prepared to uphold their rights as well as others. We stand against discrimination on political grounds in the same way that we oppose discrimination on racial, sexual, religious or other grounds. It is true that only a tiny proportion of BNP members are also members of our Union. Those that are have, in many cases, been active Trade Unionists for many years.

All Solidarity meetings have "tight security". At our Annual Conference, held in Birmingham, threats were made by supporters of 'Lancaster Unity' to Hotel staff. This was very distressing for workers simply doing a job (many of them from ethnic minorities). 27 in attendance represents over 13 per cent of our membership. If that percentage figure remains the same as we grow I will be quite content. We have seven members of our Executive and they were all present. Next year the Executive will consider subsidising travel for those attending.

Then 'Lancaster Unity' turn to Mark Walker:-

"And, of course, it has taken on only one case since its inception, that of sacked teacher Mark Walker, a BNP man advised by the useless "fighting union" to find himself a lawyer specialising in employment law."

As I have already pointed out we have taken on over twenty cases - not one. Mark Walker has not been sacked (attention to detail please comrades!). He has been suspended on full-pay for over fourteen months now. It was only recently that the management investigation was completed. It is only now that we expect to move to a formal disciplinary. I represented Mark at the last meeting in May personally. I will continue to represent him at any future meetings. Our Union (alongside Civil Liberty) is paying for an Employment Lawyer for specific aspects of this complex case. It is not unusual for Trade Unions to utilise the services of lawyers! Many of our members know Mark and can ask him themselves whether he thinks the £1.25 a week we charge represents good value for money!

Collusion - it's no illusion

Norfolk Unity don't like the Solidarity Trade Union. One article illustrates this.

They start with an attack on the May Day campaign run by our Union. Over the May Day weekend thousands of Solidarity leaflets were distributed up-and-down the country, social events were held and sympathetic publications and websites carried special promotional ads (including Alternative Green). According to the infantile leftists at 'Norfolk Unity', however, this was a "flop". The Union naturally takes a different view. We recruited from the promotion and laid claim to May Day (something we will build on each year). We need to improve the speed of reports and photos being sent in and published but this is largely just about getting people into the habit. I campaigned with members from the North East as I was in that area representing a member at a hearing on the Tuesday after the Bank Holiday weekend (a matter of record).

'Norfolk Unity' then report (if that is the word!) on matters relating to the Certification Office:-

"Visitors will remember that the "union" was hi-jacked from its founders by the BNP last summer when allegations of financial irregularities concerning Patrick Harrington surfaced, so we have Official Solidarity (the original organisation founded by Clive Potter and Tim Hawke) and Provisional Solidarity (Harrington's One Big Vast Huge Onion group).

The Certification Office is investigating allegations of financial irregularities, and breaches of both the law and Solidarity's constitution.

The Certification Office will issue a ruling on whether the Harrington/BNP takeover was legitimate. If it isn't, a legal morass will swamp both sides, as a ruling in favour of Official Solidarity will almost certainly mean that the One Big Vast Huge Onion will have to hand over its assets and membership lists - and we can't see the BNP allowing that to happen without pulling a few strokes.

Something we do know for certain is that the Executive of Official Solidarity recently held a meeting to discuss the way forward in the event of the Certification Office ruling in their favour. The meeting concluded that the name of Solidarity had been so badly damaged by its close association with the British National Party and had attracted so little interest (even from BNP members) that there was no point in continuing with the operation, and they would disband it.

As the BNP and the Great Fantasist would find it very difficult to start up another fake trade union (because this time the real trade unions will be ready for them), Harrington would find himself with even more time on his hands than normal in which to "order" the start-up of more blogs devoted to "deconstructing" (his most favouritest word in all the world) the Unity websites that have done so much to remind the antifascist brethren that you don't need to visit a circus to see a clown in action."

What is interesting here is that NU have let the cat out of the bag! Remember, neither the CO or the Union had publicly commented on any of these matters at the time of the posting. The bogus website run by the traitor Potter has not been updated since early February. How then did NU know that the Certification Office was investigating complaints? How did they know that Potter and his misfits had held a meeting? How did they know the plans made at that meeting? Collusion - it's no illusion!

Let's take a look at how accurate their statements are and predictions are likely to be:-

"The Certification Office is investigating allegations of financial irregularities, and breaches of both the law and Solidarity's constitution".

This is True. Currently there are six 'Breach of Rule' complaints which have been made against our Union. Two are from Potter. Two are from McLinden. Two are from Mullen. All three men were involved in Unconstitutional attempts to remove me from office which was decisively rejected by our membership. Potter and McLInden are no longer members of our Union.

The Union has been asked to respond to these vexatious complaints. The Executive member appointed to this task, David Kerr, has so far answered two and he is due to answer the other four over the next few weeks. He believes that the Union has a strong moral and legal case on all of the complaints. We believe that the complaints have been made maliciously as part of a campaign of bureaucratic harassment.

Our Union published details of the financial investigation into Solidarity before anyone else. We don't fear this investigation. Our books are open to inspection and in good order. A number of allegations which were originally made are not being pursued as part of the investigation as we have already answered them. Other allegations require the CO to investigate formally in order that he has the power to look at bank accounts and PayPal records directly. This will enable him to confirm that the records we have already supplied (in the case of PayPal for example) are indeed accurate.

Of course by making these various complaints against the Union the traitors involved have implicitly accepted the authority of the leadership of Solidarity. We will have to wait to see how things turn out for them personally.

"The Certification Office will issue a ruling on whether the Harrington/BNP takeover was legitimate."

No, he will not. It is not within his remit as he has made clear on a number of occassions. As long ago as 20 August, 2007 the Assistant Certification Officer Gerard Walker wrote:-

"Such claims and and counter claims are not capable of being determined in an administrative manner by this office."

He went on:-

"As I have said in previous correspondence trade unions are voluntary organisations that are, for the most part, left to regulate their own affiars via their Rule Books."

In a later article, following the publication of the terms of reference of the CO, Norfolk Unity reverse their previous position:-

"The final paragraph is a clear enough statement that the Certification Officer intends to make no judgement or ruling on the legality or otherwise of the Harrington takeover, and so, whatever the outcome of this investigation into the financial affairs of Solidarity, the fake union will remain in the hands of Harrington and the BNP - unless the official Executive have the wherewithal to take the matter to law."

Of course what they mean is that it will remain in the hands of the membership. The membership which voted at a Special Meeting, an Annual Conference and in independently scrutinised elections (with a high percentage turn-out) to decide all matters.

"Something we do know for certain is that the Executive of Official Solidarity recently held a meeting to discuss the way forward in the event of the Certification Office ruling in their favour. The meeting concluded that the name of Solidarity had been so badly damaged by its close association with the British National Party and had attracted so little interest (even from BNP members) that there was no point in continuing with the operation, and they would disband it."

The "Official" Solidarity (the one with no members and which doesn't provide services!) gets strong backing from 'Norfolk Unity'. Unfortunately for Potter and the other traitors that doesn't really impress our membership! Having done virtually nothing during his brief term of office within our Brotherhood it isn't surprising that even if he were to somehow magically regain his position he would use it (according to his allies at NU) to disband our Union. His reason? The Union has accepted members and support from the BNP! A Party, I might add, that Potter was a member of (till they kicked him out for disloyalty!). Is it any wonder that many think that Potter and his cronies are either dupes or agents?

Now Norfolk Unity like to call me 'The Great Fantasist' but I think that their own predictions of the demise of our Union and the triumph of the 'Potteristas' reveal that they are out of touch with reality. They have predicted our demise before but here we are. The simple fact is that there is a need for a Union prepared to raise issues that the TUC affiliates will not. There is a need for a Union to represent workers who the TUC affiliates will not. That need is being met by Solidarity.