Member

These are not radical demands; they are basic democratic protections—the same protections we would demand from any other political actor or funding structure. The Government’s failure to address these questions, to provide adequate justification for their approach, or even to consult on the consequences, really does undermine confidence, not only in this legislation but, frankly, in standards of public life more generally. If the Government are confident in the righteousness of their reforms, then let us subject them to proper scrutiny. If they believe that union members are truly and actively consenting to the use of their dues for political ends, then let them ensure that consent is informed, transparent and auditable. If they wish to maintain credibility when they speak of reducing red tape, then let them apply logic consistently, not selectively.