Trade unions, the Labour Party and political funding - The next step: reform with restraint

Keith Ewing, The Catalyst Forum, PO Box 27477, London SW9 8WT, 42 pages, paperback, £5.00

Never has the financial link between Labour and the unions seemed more perilous, as significant sections of the trade union movement question their role as major funders of Labour.

In this booklet Ewing argues in favour of the financial link between the unions and Labour but calls for further self-regulation by Labour to eliminate the large private donations which leave Labour open to charges that it has granted political favours to these donors.

While arguing against the state funding of political parties, Ewing favours greater state support. This could take the form of funding the education and training of activists or indeed financial support towards some infrastructure costs.