The RMT union has charted an independent path ever since it was disaffiliated from the Labour Party in 2004, dismissing the occasional rumours that suggest it might return to the Labour fold. Under its General Secretary Mick Cash, it has continued that independent approach forged under the leadership of the late Bob Crow. So it was no surprise when the RMT decided to oppose Britain’s continued membership of the EU.
Arron Banks and thirsty friend
And this was when they got into bed with a seriously dodgy individual, as recently released details from the Electoral Commission (EC) show. The RMT donated considerable sums - at least £30,000 - to an organisation called Trade Unionists Against The European Union (the EC entries for those donations can be seen HERE and HERE). The website for Trade Unionists Against the EU can still be viewed HERE.
The EC lists just one further donor to Trade Unionists Against the EU, and that is an organisation called Better For The Country Limited. This company has also made donations to UKIP and Grassroots Out. Its donations to Trade Unionists Against the EU include a tranche of six donations totalling £54,000 which can be seen HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. And there is rather more.
There appears to be another tranche of donations from Better For The Country to Trade Unionists Against the EU, also totalling £54,000, which can be seen HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. That’s £108,000, and when the RMT money is added, a total of £138,000. As to who might be behind Better For The Country, we can see that information at the Companies House website, where a very familiar name is revealed.
As well as Leave.EU stalwarts Elizabeth Bilney and Andy Wigmore, we see that the major shareholder in Better For The Country, with a holding of over 75%, is a man called Arron Fraser Andrew Banks. The same Arron Banks that is pals with Nigel “Thirsty” Farage. The same Arron Banks whose name came up in the Panama Papers data leak. Banks, let me put this directly, is an intolerant bigot with a shaky grasp of macroeconomics.
He is also an unrepentant smearer of refugees and migrants, as witness his prize observation on the Austrian referendum, which produced a result that incurred his displeasure: “You can't always get it right - I suppose they haven't suffered enough rape and murder yet” he sneered after being informed that his pal Mr Thirsty had called the vote the wrong way. He was characteristically unrepentant when challenged. Banks’ view on migration is that these ghastly brown people have to be kept out.
After all, we have a way of life to preserve from these barbarians, dontcha know? All of which makes one wonder how an ostensibly respectable Trades Union like the RMT came to be mixed up with Arron Banks. It would be interesting to hear from Mick Cash why he felt it necessary to get into bed with someone so lacking in the tolerance and compassion that one might expect to find exhibited by the leaders of the Union movement.
So why the dodgy bedfellows, RMT people? Don’t all shout at once.
The unions were targeted for subversion almost as soon as they were formed. So nothing new here. The present crop are almost all placemen.
ReplyDeleteThe most recent and worst example was the appalling Roy Lynx of the "UDM." Remember him?......When he got double crossed and Nottinghamshire miners ended up on the dole too he led resistance by squatting underground. Well done, Lynx and your ilk, for achieving the exact square root of fuck all.
The result is the lowest rate of fair wages share in modern history, plus increased poverty to near Great Depression levels, plus of course abandonment of Labour Party principles.
Well done, Union leaders. I wouldn't pay you in used washers.
"He was characteristically unrepentant when challenged."
ReplyDeleteHe's been at it again challenging Mary Beard on twitter to prove that the Roman Empire wasn't brought down by immigration, giving some amusement to many
Eg "Helen Lewis @helenlewis 4h4 hours ago
Watching Arron Banks try to tell Mary Beard he knows more about the fall of Rome than her because he studied it at school. Duuuuuuuuude."
What are we going to do with all these redundant experts after all that wasted money spent on their education?
Rob forgets that Mister AAron has Doctor Nuttals of the UKIPs to advise him on history.
ReplyDeleteDoctor Nuttals is a serious historian with a serious history doctorate that he is hoping to get finished some time real soon now.
Or maybe - ivory trade fan Mr Nuttals has a B.A in history.
He doesn't talk must about it while he's criticizing the urban elite in their ivory towers.
So he mansplains history to a female historian, while shouting about immigrants having sexist motivations. Oh dear.
ReplyDeleteWhat an unrepentant moron. I hope the RMT see sense here.