Trade Union Bill

Debate between Angela Eagle and David Rutley

Monday 14th September 2015 Commons Chamber

[Ms Eagle]

I would like to live in a world in which the Tory party did not have this kind of blood lust against trade unions, but alas we are not there yet.

[David Rutley]

I congratulate the hon. Member for Wallasey (Ms Eagle) on her promotion. She works hard in the north-west.

It is interesting to note that the new shadow Chancellor has told trade unionists:

“We will support all demonstrations in Parliament or on the picket line”—

against the Bill—

“We will be with you at every stage. It is not often you have heard that from a Labour MP but you are hearing it now.”

Does the shadow Business Secretary agree with that?

[Ms Eagle]

I agree with the right to demonstrate. I thought we were living in a free country.

The Bill is draconian, vindictive and counterproductive. It is:

“very provocative, highly ideological and has no evidence base at all”.

Those are not my words; they are the words of Vince Cable, the right hon. Gentleman’s predecessor as Business Secretary in the previous Government. He has a very revealing insight into the mindset of the Conservative party, the people he was in coalition with for five years, which has concocted the Bill.

“When we were in government, the Tories were constantly pressing for more aggressive trade union legislation of the type we see…They see the trade unions and the Labour party as the enemy. The question then is how do you weaken them? That is their starting point.”

This is the prism through which we have to see the proposals before us today. Forget the blabber from the Secretary of State; this is the prism through which we have to judge these proposals.