ANYONE walking past Parliament in the week the Labour leadership candidates faced off in a televised debate would have seen hundreds of workers protesting against legislation set to make them poorer.

A familiar sight in these times. However, the more observant would have noticed the absence of any trade union paraphernalia. Missing were the usual assortment of paper-sellers, flag wavers or other labour movement conventions.

The contentious legislation drew no attention from the Labour leadership contenders hoping to instal themselves in that place, little attention from the wider trade union movement and almost total silence from much of the left.