“Attacking trade union members in this way to justify support for draconian anti-worker laws ought to be incompatible with membership of the Parliamentary Labour Party.”
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary
By Fire Brigades Union (FBU)
In a letter to Keir Starmer, Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, has raised concerns about Natalie Elphicke’s admission to the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Elphicke has spoken in favour of new anti-unions laws, branded “one of the most vicious attacks on workers rights in living memory”. During a debate in parliament, Elphicke blamed striking firefighters for the deaths of three people during a past national firefighters’ strike.
The letter describes her views as “a disgraceful attack on firefighters”. The letter read: “Attacking trade union members in this way to justify support for draconian anti-worker laws ought to be incompatible with membership of the Parliamentary Labour Party.”
You can view A copy of the letter in full can be viewed here below:
Dear Keir,
Anti-union laws: position of Natalie Elphicke
The Minimum Service Levels Act is one of the most vicious attacks on workers in living memory. It is an attempt to ban effective strike action in the fire and rescue service and across a large proportion of the public sector.
Labour’s pledge to repeal this authoritarian legislation within 100 days of taking office, alongside the 2016 Trade Union Act, is a crucial commitment.
It is therefore alarming that Natalie Elphicke has been admitted to the Parliamentary Labour Party. Her hard right stance on immigration and her breaching of the MPs’ code of conduct are already well-known.
The FBU has now discovered that Elphicke was a cheerleader for the Minimum Service Levels Act, and has specifically targeted firefighters in her contributions in parliament.
On Tuesday 12 March this year, she spoke in support of the new anti-union laws by blaming striking firefighters for the deaths of three people during a past national firefighters’ strike.
This is a disgraceful attack on firefighters, who protect the public and save lives every day, sometimes at great personal cost.
The FBU fights for public safety, as well as the health and safety of firefighters, by fighting for the resources, standards and accountability the fire and rescue service needs. We are the only organisation to do this consistently.
The Labour Party is the political wing of the labour movement. It exists to fight for the interests of working people in parliament.
Attacking trade union members in this way to justify support for draconian anti-worker laws ought to be incompatible with membership of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Natalie Elphicke should never have been given the Labour whip, but these remarks further undermine the decision to accept her into the party. There appears to have been little, if any, due diligence.
I write to place this objection on record. The FBU will raise our concerns regarding these comments and Natalie Elphicke’s admission to the PLP through the channels as an affiliated union.
We look forward to a Labour government repealing the recent anti-union laws within 100 days of taking office.
Yours sincerely,
Matt Wrack
General Secretary
Fire Brigades Union
- This article was originally published by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) on May 13th, 2024.
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