No to Bush's war on Iraq
by Dave Prentis, General Secretary UNISON

July NEC Report - Livingstone's readmission blocked
Report of the July Labour Party National Executive Committee meeting

For better rights for workers
Jim Mortimer argues the case for improvements in working conditions

Why the left is backing Gavron
Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London urges Labour members to back Nicky Gavron in the interests of left unity

TUC can help to stop war
Billy Hayes, General Secretary CWU, believes the TUC can play a role in stopping war

No war for oil
Alice Mahon MP says there's still time to stop a war with Iraq

What Scotland expects from Labour's conference
John McAllion MSP writes about the need for conference to make it's views clear

Funding for political elites
Diane Abbott MP condemns those in favour of state funding of political parties

Campaign launched to stop the BNP in Burnley
Cllr. Mohammed Azam believes the BNP can be defeated in Burnley

Racist murder in Sunderland
George Vickers, North East Campaign for Asylum Rights reports on the murder of refugee Payman Bahmani

After New Labour Conference Report
The Labour left awakes
John McDonnell MP argues for a new programme for the left
Time for Labour to turn to it's members
Diane Abbott MP argues the Labour leadership should be more in touch with it's membership
The Labour Party needs socialists
John Edmonds, Gen Sec GMB believes that the fight in the party continues
Contributions from: Alice Mahon MP,Barry Camfield Asst Gen. Sec. TGWU, Ken Livingstone, Bob Crow RMT Gen Sec, Dave Prentis UNISON Gen Sec, Billy Hayes CWU Gen Sec, Alan Simpson MP

Economic recovery delayed - at least
William Clark believes the economic downturn is going to last longer than expected

TUC must demand more government spending
Kelvin Hopkins MP thinks that the TUC should demand argue that the government should abandon its expensive privatisation follys

End the Israeli occupation
Bob Wareing MP reports on his visit to Palestine

According to opinion polls, a majority of British public opinion is opposed to a war against Iraq. Recently we learned from the BBC News that Mr Mandela has warned President Bush that his administration risks destroying the United Nations if it attacks Iraq without international support.
Mr Mandela is also said to be seeking a meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair to express his concerns.

UNISON is proud to be in such good company on such an important issue.

Our opposition on Iraq has long been on record and has been communicated to all those who would be listening. We have long expressed our concerns about the lack of ‘working policy’ on Iraq.
As an organisation which campaigned for a democratic Iraq, and criticised Saddam Hussein for a very long time, our solidarity has always been with the ordinary Iraqi people, especially trade unionists who are not free from this dictator. However, for a long time the policy of the US government, and its only unquestioning ally, the British government, seems to be the bombing of Iraq and sanctions.

These resulted in a humanitarian disaster for ordinary Iraqis. In spite of the ‘oil for drugs’ agreement, there is a shortage of medicines for the ordinary Iraqi people. Furthermore this kind of policy has turned the dictator Saddam Hussein into some kind of a hero: ‘the last man who dares to stand up to the only super- power of the world’. It is not easy to understand the motives of President George W Bush, other than that he desires to finish a job his father could not.

UNISON believes to get rid of Saddam and provide conditions of democracy and freedom for the peoples of Iraq is desirable. However we are not convinced that more of the same will achieve this result. None of the US’ allies, except the UK government, who backed the US during the Gulf War, are giving their backing to him now. We also know the US administration itself is divided on the wisdom of attacking unprovoked a sovereign state in the name of freedom and democracy!

If the US attack Iraq with or without Mr Blair’s support, it will dangerously undermine the UN and destabilise the entire region. The consequences are not easy to contemplate, however it is reasonable to assume that it will lead to a more chaotic world.

I believe Iraq should re-admit the UN weapons inspectors unconditionally. I also believe the US government and, if they have it, the British government should produce the evidence. It is no longer satisfactory to say that they have it. We need to be convinced that the consequences of inaction outweigh the consequences of action. We would need to know that this danger is worth committing lives to. Then we need a clear UN mandate to take Saddam Hussein on. This is necessary both legally and morally.

Until then I stick to our latest position as decided by Unison’s National Executive Committee on 20 April 2002: ‘We reaffirm our opposition to escalating the military action against Iraq, as we believe that this will only serve to exaccerbate tensions in the Middle East and create further instability and chaos’.