GMB election inquiry prompts congress recall

The GMB general union’s central executive council (CEC) was drafting new rules for internal union elections as Labour Research went to press. This was in response to the “serious and grave” findings of an inquiry into elections which took place in 2003 and 2004.

The union is also recalling its 2005 Congress this month to consider both the report of the investigation and the CEC’s package of rule amendments, by-laws and guidelines for the election of the union’s senior officer. It will meet on 11 March.

The investigation, ordered by the CEC in May 2005, examined the conduct of the GMB general secretary election in 2003, which was won by Kevin Curran. It also investigated the deputy general secretary election of 2004, which was won by Debbie Coulter.

Later allegations surfaced about ballot rigging in the general secretary election and an independent inquiry, run by barrister John Hands, was launched.

In January 2005, Curran was suspended over allegations of interfering with the inquiry and three months later he resigned.

Paul Kenny, Curran’s sole opponent in the 2003 election, was appointed temporary general secretary and has remained so since then.

The CEC, in a decision subsequently endorsed by the 2005 Congress, set up an internal investigation panel chaired by solicitor Phil King, to look into conduct in elections and other allegations.

The CEC agreed that, “in view of the serious and grave nature of the findings” it would not make any comment until after 27 February.