It's no surprise that Labour Party conference was overshadowed by infighting. The media may have been partly to blame; this is what makes their headlines. But by prioritising rule changes (to guarantee his position) over burning social questions, leader Keir Starmer brought it on himself. What goes around, comes around. After all, he gagged Corbyn’s “left”.

    So now there’s a row over Unite the union’s proposal for a £15 minimum wage (£600/w) - which caused Andy McDonald to resign from the shadow cabinet. Of course £15 isn’t what the Labour leadership proposes. They say it’s too high and propose £10, though £15/hr is still below the“average wage” (ONS Earnings Survey), which is £15.98/hr... 

    On the opening day of the conference in Brighton on Sunday, deputy leader Angela Rayner - who has the job of bringing back working class votes - announced the Party's "New Deal for Working People", which a Labour government would sign into law within 100 days.

    Among other things, it would end zero-hour contracts, end "bogus" self-employment, end “fire and rehire” and pay all workers sick pay from day one. But how can workers afford to wait?

    In fact Labour’s real message came on Monday, when Rachel Reeves explained how responsible she’ll be towards the capitalist class - “rebuilding the high street”(!) and cancelling business rates...

    Sharon Graham, new General Secretary of Unite, didn’t attend. She said that people had had enough of the "political tail wagging the industrial dog”. She claims to have distanced herself from the Labour Party and wants Unite to win more rights for workers... 

     Of course, whether it’s the former care-worker Rayner, or Graham claiming that picket lines are more her style, the Labour Party and Unite are merely trying to shore up falling votes on the one hand and falling membership numbers on the other.

    Rayner promised that “When Labour is in government… working people will have a seat at the Cabinet table and their voices will be heard”. But as workers know very well, bosses only listen to them when their feet do the talking.