PCS sets up political fund

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) is establishing a political fund from this month after members voted by 79% last November in favour of setting one up.

The union, the bulk of whose 312,000 members are civil servants, will allocate 10 pence per month from existing subscriptions to the fund, and members will not pay any additional money.

The union does not plan to finance any political party, but the fund will allow the union to campaign and lobby around issues that can be seen as having political content.