GMB have gone for Owen Smith in the Labour self-destruction ballot and today, it has been announced that Unison have opted for Corbyn. Frankly, I don't give a damn who the unions back. It's their decision, to be reached by their own systems. The GMB decision however was interesting, not because of who they opted to back, but because of the tiny turnout. Despite all the protestations by the GMB that the Labour Party is "our" party, a mere 7% of the members voted in the consultative ballot. That certainly doesn't strike me as the result that would be expected were Labour to have been engaged with trade union members and seen to represent them. Out of 640,000 GMB members, those who weren't interested in taking part amounted to 600,000 people. This must surely provide some food for thought for Corbyn when he is re-elected. He is from the left. He makes great deal of noise as a "socialist". So why the nearly total lack of interest in the Labour Party he leads by union members, or at least GMB members?
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