Vote goes overwhelmingly to Beckett as group commits to campaign for his leadership and defend him against smears
Labour Black Socialists (LBS) members have voted to back Howard Beckett to be the next general secretary of the giant Unite union when incumbent Len McCluskey resigns. Skwawkbox understands that the vote was near-unanimous, with only three absentions and no votes for other prospective candidates. Beckett’s record of anti-racism and his agenda for the union played a key role in the decision.
The group has issued the following statement:
LBS have reviewed both Howard Beckett’s track record of fighting for workers rights and his commitment to active Anti Racism.
We find:
Howard Beckett has a truly transformative agenda for Unite.
He will organise workers who are in “stable employment as well as those who are precariously employed.
He believes that the trade union should not be neutral on anything that affects workers.
He campaigns against austerity.
He is consistent in his anti-racism. His socialism recognises the inalienable singularity of human dignity of all people irrespective of differences in class, gender, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age or immigration status.
He believes that NHS and workers in the Care Sector require decent wages and salary increases. He believes that the steel industry can be supported in the same way as the banks in 2010.
He will fight for a commitment to build social housing and controls over the private rented sector to be enforced.
He believes that the trade union must be a radical voice on climate change.
He believes in a foreign policy that promotes peace not war. Since the government has 143 military bases in 42 countries, money that could be spent on reinforcing flood defences, making sites available for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, support for youth within communities, support for women suffering from domestic and gender-based violence.
Howard knows that the Union has to make its case to young people so that more of them join the union. He will fight for the future of a diverse and secure workforce.
Therefore LBS will campaign for Howard Beckett and will urge its members to organise events for Howard to speak to Unite members and to urge their Unite branches to do the same and conscientize, organise and mobilise their branches to vote HowardBeckett4General Secretary.
*********************************
The detail:
Labour Black Socialists believes that Howard Beckett has a truly transformative agenda for Unite. In fact, he aims to take Unite closer to the members in the workplaces, in the regions and nations. Union power should not be centralised but be devolved to where the members and organisers and representatives of the union are. He sees his role as being a supporter and facilitator of that frontline reality of workers and the trade union representatives, organisers and educators.
Howard Beckett wants to organise workers who are in “stable employment as well as those who are precariously employed. For the former, currently bosses are using Covid-19 as an excuse to fire and rehire the same workers on worse wages and conditions of employment. Howard is on the frontline fighting to defend and protect those hard-won victories in the workplace. There are also workers in the gig economy and zero-hours workplaces. Howard wants to bring the union into these under-organised spaces because this is a significant sector where workers are being exploited.
Howard Beckett believes that the trade union should not be neutral on anything that affects workers be it in their places of work, in Westminster and local government or within communities where workers and their families live.
Howard is also campaigning against austerity because this is a case of workers having to do more with less. Bosses want to cut pay and conditions and the government wants to cut social support. Workers are caught in the middle. They are not alone. Howard wants Unite to stand with these workers because the union makes us strong. Howard is neutral on nothing that affects Unite members.
In a country where institutional racism is being argued away by the government and the self-declared leading anti-racist party enacts and embodies a hierarchy of racisms Howard is morally consistent in his anti-racism. His socialism recognises the inalienable singularity of human dignity of all people irrespective of differences in class, gender, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age or immigration status.
Howard believes that NHS and workers in the Care Sector require decent wages and salary increases. We cannot give them a clap every Thursday and then cut their living conditions with a real salary cut with a below-inflation salary increase. Howard notes that the MPs gave themselves a double-digit salary increase, clapping hands for the NHS.
Howard Beckett also believes that the steel industry can be supported in the same way as the banks in 2010. There is no need for steel workers to lose their jobs. British steel should be used in the post-Covid-19 reboot of the economy. Other sectors deserve similar consideration.
Howard Beckett has a progressive policy of social housing because it does not make sense to fight for better wages and conditions and then because there is a lack of social housing, and because Housing Benefits are cut (even with Universal Credit) and then those increases invariably go to the unregulated private landlords. Howard Beckett wants a commitment to build social housing and controls over the private rented sector to be enforced.
Howard Beckett believes in a foreign policy that promotes peace not war. Since the government has 143 military bases in 42 countries, money that could be spent on reinforcing flood defences, making sites available for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, support for youth within communities, support for women suffering from domestic and gender-based violence. Currently that money is used to support monarchies in the Gulf, dictatorships in Africa and Asia and an avoidable hostile posture in Europe. Money spent on maintaining the British Empire 2.0 could actually be used to raise the living standards of workers in their communities.
Howard also believes that the trade union must be a radical voice on climate change. It must argue for the workers who are in industries that have significant carbon footprints today and will have to change. If not, those workers will be left behind. Howard argues for their interests. Also, Howard wants the UK to take its climate change commitments seriously. After all, the poorest of the poor, today and tomorrow pay the biggest price even though they have the smallest impact on the climate. Howard argues for workers in the UK who are currently affected, others who are likely to be affected as well as solidarity with workers abroad. His creed is “workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains”.
Howard also believes that the Union has to make its case to young people so that more of them join the union. We have seen his commitment to young people and their education through his unfaltering support of Show Racism the Red Card which seeks to establish all our futures in a fair and democratic society by engaging with young people from “knee high to a grasshopper” upwards.
LBS believes that Howard Beckett’s personal values, his track record in the union as well as his radical agenda will stand him in good stead should members vote for him to be the General Secretary of Unite.
LBS will campaign for Howard Beckett by urging people who have the right to vote in the election to actually do so by #Vote4HowardBeckett
LBS will actively campaign for the policy platform of #Howard4GS.
LBS will actively defend #Howard4GS against any smears and false allegations.
LBS will actively promote unity amongst Unite members during the General secretary election campaign.
LBS will actively conscientize, organise and mobilise its members and supporters to get Unite members to urge their branches to arrange online meetings for #Howard4GS and for them to vote for Howard Beckett.
Ultimately we have been won over by his unparalleled integrity, moral consistency, honesty, decency and courage in defence of workers in their workplaces, the agenda of workers within the Labour Movement particularly in the Labour party and the broader interests of workers in communities.
Skwawkbox has also backed Beckett for the role.
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If LBS believes that white socialists cannot represent black ones (it must believe that or it would never have been formed), how can it believe that a multi millionaire property landlord could represent ordinary working people? Just asking
Oh right!? Is that what all these groups are about Like Jewish Labour Movement, BAME Labour, Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, Labour Party Irish Society etc? As far as I am aware we are all just One and the Same thing Humans.
And Racism is Hating a Person who is a ?????, purely because they are a ?????.
Are you sure they are not there to highlight the persistent Racism that STILL exists in the so called Labour Party or the persistent rule breaking regarding actions taken or ‘not taken’ for that matter?
The Clue is “”LABOUR” Black Socialists”! LABOUR is a Democratic Socialist Movement, People commonly refer to themself as Socialist, but they are Democratic Socialist many of us are Socialists and Communists at heart, but we know that a long process of more generally acceptable Democratic Socialism is required as a stepping stone into mainstream politics.
Things have moved on since the Communist Manifesto was written, People are allowed to get wealthy, people are allowed to own property, The main question should be are they fair landlords and are they working for the good of The People, (not The Establishment), towards Equality and Justice.
Let’s say John a Poor Democratic Socialist Labour Party Member tinkers in his shed, invents a thing, someone buys the Patent for millions, Does John now have to leave the Democratic Socialist Labour Party because he’s become wealthy overnight? He buys his own, his Parents, brothers and sisters houses so that they can live rent free and as a future investment, Does John now have to leave the Democratic Socialist Labour Party? Now john is working so hard for his Community raising funds and opening Youth Clubs, Food Banks etc Is he not allowed to be a Democratic Socialist Labour Party Member because he is a wealth landlord!? As long as someone works for The Good of The People who cares what their bank status looks like? I wonder how many IK Labour Party Members live in Council/Rented Property, I am sure a fair few have Mortgages to one day be Land Owners!
Property is Theft, heard that one before? You sound like Mandelson. ‘I’m intensely relaxed about rich people having lots of money’, especially when invited on their yachts to discuss ways of making money with them. You can’t run with the hare and hunt with the hounds and be a socialist or communist unless it’s like a corrupt dictator like so many in Africa or Chavez who made members of his family dollar billionaires
I am deeply hurt and offended by a Mandelson comparison!
My dear Plain Citizen you appear to have a lot of misconceptions and seem to misconstrue my words.you should read them again, maybe!? There is a VAST difference between a wealthy person who spends their time working for the good of The People, and a wealthy person working for the good of The Self, The Mainstream or Establishment.
You really have a thing about Chávez and Black People every time Black Labour or Chávez are mentioned you’re on your soap box. I have no idea what you identify yourself as, but sort yourself out before you talk about Socialism/Race to others, maybe!?
You were refuted about your Chávez claim just a couple of days ago, anyway that are far more corruption in Neoliberalism/Capitalism yet the impoverished worshippers of Neoliberalism/Capitalism will attack anything and everything else. Odd Bunch You!
If I had a vote, it would be given to Howard Beckett. I hope he wins. He would be a worthy successor to Len McCluskey.
Bottom line, I suspect Beckett would champion the needs of a re-aligned and re-invigorated Labour Movement (and a possible new ILP?) far better than his opponents.
‘re-aligned’, meant “re-focussed”.
‘Worthy successor to Len McCluskey’, is that a bit like saying ‘Boris Johnson is a worthy successor to David Cameron’? Hilarious. Next we’ll have Dr Qwertboi in the British Medical Journal telling us ‘toothache is a worthy successor to piles’! I suspect that I’ve misunderstood you qwertboi and your post was entirely tongue in cheek. My apologies. Why can’t we have a working class successor instead of millionaires who want the publicity and more power?
People always seem to ‘misunderstand’ things they are trying to demean an things they are frightened of. but no, I rarely do the tongue in cheek thing, and didn’t above: Len McCluskey is an outstandingly good General Secretary of Unite the Union.
His successor will have a hard act to follow. Blunders like Miliband’s attrciously Starmer-esque “Falkirk Fiasco” were actually the making of two fine socialists impacted by the enerist right’s antidemocratic shenanigans here, namely Len McCluskey and Unite’s preferred candidate, Karie Murphy.
I say I will be sorry t see him depart the centre-stage position that leadership of Unite has given him and hope his successor is as true to the needs of the Many as Len was, and as well-equiped emotionally to deal with the pathogens and excreta tha the pro-capitalist Labour ‘centrist’ right tend to produce.
In abundance.
PC
Howard Beckett – “millionaire”? – evidence please!
“Working class” leaders all good – evidence please (Kinnock? A. Johnson?)
It does get tedious.
We have a problem in that we have moved along so far and so fast that our ideologies and descriptions have become almost meaningless,
Like “Working Class” what does it mean!? You have to be poor, live in Council owned Property, etc? Many “Working Class” People can earn $60K to £80K The Highway Maintenance Men that put the cones out etc, Digger operators many trades, many start their own solo business, some start a Business as Employers The spectrum is blown open so wide.
I have decided to stick with ‘The People’ Anyone and everyone who works to improve the Lives of The People, who works for Equality and Justice for The People are my Comrades and Friends.
Then there are The People who are working for the benefit of The Establishment, “Working Class” . Many so indoctrinated by MSM, MSSM and Politicians Retoric that they are literally Mind Controlled Sheeple. They live in Abject Poverty but Blame The People, Socialism, Immigrants, just about everything, but LOOK at the Establishment, even when you put it in front of them, they refuse to see the truth!
Then we have the Establishment Controlled by the 1% all shitting themselves because they know their empires are about to crumble. Less and less Sheeple are subscribing to their Tyranny, I reckon we are reaching a critical moment in Human History, where the “Ruling Class” are starting to realise that they have less subscribers than adversaries! Interesting times ahead!
goldbach – Beckett certainly isn’t poor by most people’s standards.
Beckett, 51, a solicitor, was brought into the union as its head in-house lawyer after he and his partners sold their Cheshire firm for a reported £2.69m in 2011
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2020/07/after-mccluskey-who-will-win-unite-s-crown
I wonder if becoming the Secretary General of UNITE The Union is the best way/place of gaining “More Power” for your Financial/Property Empire! I am no economist, but I am certain there are far simpler/effective/easier ways of doing that!?
You are very Odd My Dear Plain Citizen, very odd indeed. One moment you speak almost like a Comrade, the next you spew insults and misconstrued nonsense.
The whole notion of whether people are poor or not, and how “working class” they are, being a recommendation, or otherwise, is ridiculous. What matters is the policies they seek to pursue and whether those policies benefit the great majority of people or just the elite. Those who criticise people for their jobs are, perhaps unwittingly, playing into the hands of the elite. In the 1970s I knew a couple of solicitors. They had good incomes. They also did a considerable amount of pro bono work for people who were marginalised by the system and couldn’t afford to take action without support.
Time to get off the high horse.
Incidentally, I used to watch Question Time and always thought that, when people were criticising railwaymen etc. for the “massive” pay increases they sought, that the critics should have been asked what their incomes were. So, how about, if you’re having a go at someone for being “wealthy” you let us know where you stand, what your income/wealth is. Just so we know that it’s not pots and kettles.
I am amazed there are any socialists left in the Labour party with all their BS crusade against us and this leap to Tory-lite away from socialism.
Let alone black socialists! Well I will wish their campaign well but question why they are supporting this cult? If your voting for them, giving them subs then sorry they take that as support. You can say you’re against there new ideology but no one care.
This is why I repeat staying is supporting them! So please have some respect and stop supporting and enabling this cult of new Labour 2.0. That’s the only way of enabling real change is demonstrating lack of support trying to achieve change internally is like fighting fog.
This is the problem, it is alright for ie Trickett to make that great campaign Video, the trouble is that is NOT The “Labour” we will be getting! We will get Neoliberal Neolabour Party Tories who are working their buts off to purge him and the other 10/15 Democratic Socialist MPs!
We literally have 1 of 2 options:
1 We make a Pact as Democratic Socialists that if our MP/Candidate is a Neoliberal Neolabour Party Tory we will vote for their Strongest opponent no matter who or what! The aim is to deseat the Neolabour Tory Parasites. Then take the seats back with a 100% UK Labour Party
If our MP/Candidate is a Democratic Socialist we will vote for them to take a seat from Conservative Tories, ie we might see Laura P, Laura S, even Dennis back and there are several like them left, that of course is if the Parasites don’t control the selections again!
OR
2 All the Democratic Socialist UK Labour Party MPs Leave to form a new Democratic Socialist Party and Union.
Whichever it would be a small Party but smaller only for one term, I feel sure, that with the Membership and Support of The Masses and a Dollop of 2015 to 2017 Hope we would have a competitive 100% Democratic Socialist Party! Internal Sabotaging Parasite free! Just imagine if Jeremy had a 100% Democratic Socialist UK Labour Party PLP instead of just 20% vs 80% Neoliberal Neolabour Party Tories!
To shellyknelly I have never been refuted over Chavez. To refute means to demonstrate why something (eg my statement) is incorrect. Got to say Shellyknelly is a great title though. I agree with you about working for the good of the people or for your own selfish enrichment, the problem is that all those who say ‘I’m doing it for the people’ can’t help ultimately making selfish and corrupt choices. Look at any socialist leader who got into power and they are all surrounded by the whiff of corruption and self interest expressed through their own or families efforts to strengthen their Swiss (or other) bank accounts for the good of the starving masses.
Yes, to refute is to disprove or show something to be wrong ,and if you honestly believe that – just on here – some of your claims have never been refuted, then, dear pc, yours is the level of self-delusion that often accompanies psychosis and rather extreme cases of emotional disorder or imbalance. Some self-analysis would not go amiss and could even rectify the issue, although the centrist-type tend to favour (a heavily commodified) ‘medicated’ drug solution. Your choices are manyfold, but try the intellectal honesty strategy first. It pays dividends.
“Look at any socialist leader who got into power and they are all surrounded by the whiff of corruption and self interest expressed through their own or families efforts to strengthen their Swiss (or other) bank accounts for the good of the starving masses.”
Did you learn nothing from 2015 to 2020!? The Establishment/Ruling Class/The Machine who owns and controls everything from MSM, MSSM, Polls, Most Military ‘Men’, Secret Service, all Neoliberal/Capitalist Politicians, etc, etc, etc stand to loose a great deal under Socialism Firstly they will have to pay Taxes, reimburse all the Stolen Taxes , No More Privatisation and raping of Public Ownership.
ie They can’t get their hands on the Oil and Gold of Venezuela without a Neoliberal Leader dishing out with one hand and pocketing with the other.
Look at the International effort and daily onslaught on Jeremy Corbyn, do you not wonder past whatever Propaganda is controlling your mind!?
Really you’ve been here long enough to know of every time SkwawkBox refuted The MSM/MSSM!?
Tabare Vazquez (deceased) was President of Uruguay. He continued to live in his modest home throughout his presidency, drove a battered old car and didn’t take his full pay as President. Died of cancer. No Swiss bank account. Football fanatic. R.I.P.
The exception that proves the rule.
PC – You seem not to know what the saying means. The word “proves” means “tests”. So, when we say “the exception proves the rule” it doesn’t mean that the exception proves that the rule is correct. It means that the exception TESTS the rule. In other words, if an exception can be found then the rule is tested and found to be faulty.
I apologise if you already knew this and were simply acknowledging your error.
Exactly. I stand corrected in this case, thank you. Can you think of any other examples?
PC – ” Look at any socialist leader who got into power and they are all surrounded by the whiff of corruption and self interest”
Any scientist would tell you that you can’t prove a theory, you can only disprove one, and all it takes to disprove a theory is one counter example. You say ALL, and Tabare Vazquez disproves your theory. If you’d said many I would have had no counter argument.
As for “other examples” – Evo Morales and, probably, Lula Da Silva – a Brazilian court has now found that Lula never owned the flat at the centre of the allegations that led to his imprisonment, and Moro is being investigated for suspected fabrication of evidence.
But, as I said, Vazquez disproves your theory by himself.
Are all the members of “Labour Black Socialists” also members of UNITE? If not, what gives them the qualification to express a view on the leadership of the union? If 3 abstained, none were against, how many were for – 4?
This is shit dressed up as journalism. Howard Beckett is on the side of the angels, despite the nasturtiums being flung at him – but so is Steve Turner. Howard has done a brilliant job on the Labour NEC and if Steve wins, I hope he continues in that role. If Howard wins, I hope someone like Steve is delegated to the NEC.
This sectarian stuff from certain scousers is getting boring.
The enemy is Coyne and his Blairite backers. All guns should be trained on them: infighting on the left is exactly what they want. Don’t go there.
See me see my colour! It seems that Mr Skwawkbox has now become the voice of Black Socialists, as opposed to the green; purple or pink varieties. My family are of mixed race & mostly socialist…..we are neither black nor white mongrels.