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Mandelson ‘haunting spectre’ concerning as STUC call for New Deal to be fully implemented

Comments from Labour Peer Lord Mandelson have been condemned by Scottish TUC leader Roz Foyer as pressure increases on Labour Party leadership to water down their ‘New Deal for Working People’. 

Writing in the Sunday Times, the former business secretary warned that reforms to employment and trade union law – key pledges within Labour’s New Deal - must not be “rushed”. Last month,  President of the CBI Rupert Soames admitted pushing Labour to “soften” it’s pledges on workers’ rights, citing fears on economic growth.

The comments from the Labour Peer have been condemned by the STUC, Scotland’s leading trade union body, calling Mandelson “a haunting spectre”.

Speaking ahead of an STUC Fair Work and Leadership event this afternoon, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said:

“The comments from the haunting spectre that is Lord Mandelson fly in the face of the promises given to our movement on the importance of the New Deal. We expect these promises to be delivered upon. We’re glad to see figures within the party rebut his nonsense from the weekend. It is workers, not the acolytes of the business community that Mandelson represents, that need help, support and assurance after 14 years of Tory Government.  

“Labour’s New Deal represents a hopeful new dawn for trade union and workers’ rights throughout the UK. Banning zero-hours contracts, providing employment rights from day one and consigning to the dustbin of history the pernicious anti-trade union law inflicted on our movement is a priority of the utmost importance.

“It’s clear that pressure is being applied to soften the New Deal. To our faces at STUC Congress last year, Angela Rayner promised the New Deal would be implemented within the first 100 days of a Labour Government. They must stick to their word. Workers deserve nothing less after 14 years of attacks from this failed and rotten Tory Government.