TRADE UNION POLITICAL FUND BALLOTS

Early day motion 257, tabled 10 December 2003 by Lord Mann (Labour). Signed by 132 members.

That this House notes that under legislation introduced by the Conservative government in 1984, trade unions wishing to contribute to political parties or engage in other political activities must establish a political fund; further notes that each union must ballot their members every 10 years on whether to retain the fund; recognises the time and expense involved in running such a ballot; believes that it is time to modernise the law in this area, accepting that unions have a natural role to play in influencing the law on behalf of their members particularly in areas such as employment law, employment relations and pensions legislation; and further believes that, as individual members have the right to opt out of paying into a political fund, the Government should amend existing legislation to remove the need for 10-yearly ballots on political funds.

Signatures by party: Labour 124, Labour/Co-operative 8.