THE Communication Workers Union (CWU) voted yesterday to suspend any donations outside of its affiliation fees to the national Labour Party.

At the union’s special conference, members voted to ensure additional funding outside of nominal affiliation fees would instead go to specific Labour candidates and campaigns that support the CWU’s industrial and political aims, and to support the selection and election of such candidates.

The motion was passed as part of a wide-ranging debate on the union’s future relationship with the Labour Party, during which general secretary Dave Ward opposed disaffiliation from Labour but called for a new relationship based on working proactively with Labour leaders across the country who are delivering for CWU members.

“The decision taken by conference today allows the CWU to focus its political attention on building our movement out in communities,” Mr Ward said.

“The current Labour leadership is failing to connect with working-class communities and that was made clear by the scores of our members who spoke passionately in the debate today.

“In focusing our political resources on those in Labour who are really up for delivering for our members we are looking beyond the factional war being waged by an out-of-touch Westminster politics.

“This is a positive step for our union and a real offer to those in Labour who want to change things on the ground.”