Smith attacked over reforms logic: Union leader attacks logic of Smith's party reforms

ANY insistence that John Smith is battling to introduce one member, one vote (Omov) into the Labour Party is untrue and dreamed up by 'spin doctors', according to the leader of the party's largest affiliate, writes Barrie Clement.

In an article to be published in the Tribune journal on Friday, Bill Morris, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, points out that the Labour leader's proposals would allow union members who pay the political levy to vote in the election of the Labour leader. If that is the case, says Mr Morris, 'where is the logic in excluding them from colleges to choose parliamentary candidates?'

Mr Smith's proposals would mean each MP's vote in the leadership election would be equivalent to that of more than two constituency parties. Fewer than 300 MPs would have the same share of the vote as 200,000 individual members.

Mr Morris declares: 'What the 'modernisers' are really about is: one MP, loads of votes; one individual member, one vote; and 4 million trade unionists, no votes.'