AFTER an hour’s lively discussion first thing in the morning, following two hours of thoughtful and passionate debate yesterday afternoon, over a series of proposed rule changes which would have led to Aslef disaffiliating from the Labour Party, and which were all voted down, Dave Calfe summed up from the podium: “Something’s got to change. The Labour Party has to be put on notice that we need positive change for working people.”

After three hours of debate, with a myriad of contributions, and the top table split, the GS brought the room back together in a spirit of union unity and solidarity.

Andy Hudd, EC president, led the charge to disaffiliate: “Trade unions and socialist societies set up the Labour Party to get working-class representatives into Parliament. A party based on the ideals of socialism, public ownership, workers’ rights, and social justice. The old Labour Party made substantial improvements to people’s lives, including the introduction of the welfare state and the NHS and has been (even in opposition) a good advocate for workers’ rights.

“But those days are long gone! The Labour Party’s continual movement to the right and its abandonment of socialist principles since Tony Blair has had catastrophic consequences for our economy, working people, and the trade union movement. It is not effective in government, or in opposition, because it now has the same policies as our class enemies — the Tories. We now have a Labour Party that has no morals, principles, or direction.

“Whilst I am not advocating affiliation to another party, at this time, we could, if we choose, affiliate to any of the other political parties now emerging which are more aligned with our policies and principles, including Your Party or the Greens. So do what’s right! Do what’s in the best interests of our members! Disaffiliate!”

San Senik, Sheffield No 1, agreed: “Comrades, we are living through the most tumultuous times in our recent political history. A right-wing offensive continues to sweep the Western world, and the UK is burning within that fire. The Labour Party, rather than combating this fire, continues to feed the flames. Attacking migrants and refugees seems to be the default tactic for all politicians, including Labour MPs. In their attempts to out-Farage Nigel Farage, they have unashamedly moved the party to the right where they stoke the fires of discrimination and racism.”

Paul Morris, Airdrie, argued: “The Labour Party has drifted. Jeremy Corbyn at the Durham Miners’ Gala in 2019 spoke to me. Everyone was buoyed with hope in 2024 about how we would change the world. But Labour proscribed Palestine Action while approving arms sales to Israel. We haven’t left the Labour Party, the Labour Party has left us.”

Seb Michnowicz, Bristol, added: “Peter Mandelson is a man who would rather express solidarity with a convicted paedophile than with ordinary working people. We don’t get a voice; we just have things done to us.”

Dave Calfe pointed out that Labour’s New Deal for Working People — “in which Mick Whelan was heavily involved” — resulted in an Employment Rights Act which has rolled back the Tories’ anti-union laws and done more for working people than any other piece of legislation in a generation, while the Railways Bill is bringing the passenger companies back into public ownership “and we continue to push for the freight operators and rolling stock companies to be renationalised, too. Being affiliated means we can talk to our MPs and ask them to push in Parliament the work we have done as a trade union.”

Ed Mayne, Saltley, arguing against a proposal for a referendum on affiliation, said: “Do we make decisions as an annual assembly of delegates, or do we put them out to referendum? AAD is the parliament of Aslef. If we rip up the rule book we might as well all go home now! Our relationship with the Labour Party gives us a level of access we could not get anywhere else. It’s a very beneficial relationship because their door is always open to us.”

Amy Nicholson, Derby, added: “Last year Aslef had a stall at the Labour Party conference for the first time, which gave us an opportunity to engage with MPs and party activists and was a great success. Why would we not want that? Once you’re out, you have no power. You only have to look at the RMT to see that. Don’t disaffiliate!”

Darran Brown, Preston, said: “We’re loyal to Aslef. Why can’t we be loyal to Labour? We’re getting a party, a government, that is working for us. Little union, big voice: our former GS had a big input into the New Deal for Working People and I sat in a room with Labour MPs who wanted to listen to me about how to make things better for LGBT+ people in the workplace.”

Chris Sneddon, Wimbledon, agreed. “Political influence doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from years of engagement. I don’t agree with everything the Labour Party does but I carry my card because it gives me the right to talk in the room. This little trade union punches well above its weight. Do we give that up? Of course not!”

And Lucio Buffone, Paddington, argued: “When we get beaten, we don’t give up. We get back up and keep fighting. This is a bizarre time to put this forward. I get a vote because I’m a Labour Party member. But if you’re affiliated, and you pay into the political fund, you also get a vote. It just doesn’t make sense to disaffiliate now. Don’t come to us with wrecking amendments, come to us with a motion to build.”

Mark Coffin, Hornsey, added: “Labour is 126 years old. Aslef is 146 years old. Tony Blair was temporary. Keir Starmer is temporary. The trade union movement is permanent. We must stay in the party to fight for the party.”

Dave Vaughan, Newton Heath, reflected: “My first AAD was 2010. This is the first rules conference I have come to with Labour in power. I can’t believe we will throw that away.”

Alan Moir, Polmadie, a Labour councillor for 23 years, smiled, “I can assure you I have not been complicit in the decisions some of you have talked about!” adding, “It would be a gift to Reform and the SNP if Aslef disaffiliated from Labour.”

Martin Kemp, West Brompton, arguing against a referendum, said: “We gauge our members’ views in mess rooms and at branch meetings.”

Christopher Lee, Ipswich, summed up the mood of conference: “We are, at heart, a Labour union and should stay in to uphold our values.”

Andy Cook, Selhurst, added: “Labour governments come and go but the Labour Party is here for ever. We are buying into something that can change things for the better.”

And Ritchie Doran, RMS, concluded: “The Labour Party is broken but we must stay and fight for what we believe because there is no alternative.”

The Labour Party was formed, by the trade unions, in 1900 as the Labour Representation Committee, and Aslef affiliated in 1903.