GFTU BGCM Minutes 2017

governments, they have PR across Europe and look at that”. I could give you a

whole load of facts, I have not got time to do so this morning, but it is

statistically proven that first past the post electoral systems have led to right

wing governments being elected most of the time in the OECD nations and

particularly here in the UK. So that is one factor and there are many more and

what I would like the GFTU to do is to flag up how we can make contact with

groups promoting fairer electoral systems as a debating issue for us going

forward and, of course, we all hope, don’t we, that first past the post results in a

Labour victory?

But look at the stats. The swing needed by Labour, whoever is in charge, it

does not matter who is in charge, statistically the swing needed to seize back

those seats from the Tories that they need to win to get a majority, let alone to

hang on to the marginals, is huge, so it is a Herculean task, but a bigger

Herculean task is for our generation to try and change the system for future

generations, because if we do not we are effectively sentencing young people

of the future to the prospect of right wing totalitarianism and we have got to do

better than that. This movement is capable of doing better than that, so whilst I

am not speaking specifically to the motion, I get it, I think it is something that

we should consider. If you want to secure change then, to quote from As you

Like it, “Carpe diem”, comrades, “for in delay there lies no plenty”. If you want

to change, work for it. If you want to shape a future that works for everybody,

let’s lay those foundations using our skills and endeavours and help to create a

more pluralistic, fear, equal and just society. Thank you. (Applause)

SIS THERESA EASTON (Artists’ Union England): I just wanted to come back on that

on a practical issue. Artists’ Union England, we do not have any political fund,

we are not affiliated with anything, members often want to get us involved in

political things and we have to be careful on what we do get involved in, but

what we are able to do with our individual trades council is to get involved in

things there, because the trades council rules are slightly different. The north

east is a Labour stronghold, but there are pockets where there are areas where

the seats could go either way and we have discussed at our trades council

contacting the trades councils in those areas where they are a bit wobbly like

199