Kmflett's Blog

This brief Q&A appeared as part of a double page interview with Sharon Graham in the Times on 19th July. The interview was sympathetic perhaps surprisingly so given how hostile the Murdoch media is to unions. One possible Murdochian motivation is that as GS of Unite, Graham is causing some issues for Starmer Labour.

The interview has been widely reported. Graham describes herself as a ‘workerist’. She has a well known organising background and when elected as GS promoted this over specific influence on Labour politics. That hasnt actually been the case but one should always regard the actions of a GS with a degree of healthy scepticism. In reality Graham as pressed Labour on employment rights but not on the genocide in Palestine. Unite represents defence workers but allowing for that matters could have been more deftly handled. For example by arguing that highly skilled workers would be more usefully employed on other important projects than weaponry.

The most interesting Graham answer is that Parliament is preferred over Picket Line. An odd answer for a ‘workerist’ or a sign that the GS has political ambitions- not particularly on the hard left one might speculate

The questionnaire is a rather Victorian thing. They were certainly popular in mid and late Victorian England and one Marx answered has survived.