Gordon Brown's first act in his relations with the Labour and trade union movement is to announce that he intends to scrap the trade union vote in policy making at Labour Party conference.
Jon Cruddas and the Compass group initially started this dangerous hare running with their proposals to cut the trade unions' percentage share of the vote at conference. Brown has taken this to its logical conclusion with his proposal of a total removal of the right of trade unions to vote on policy decisions.
This is a real kick in the teeth for all those trade union general secretaries who loyally nominated Brown to the leadership of the party.
Many will now be wondering if this is a the reward for their loyalty what hope is their of exercising any influence on the key issues of public sector pay cuts, privatisation, and trade union rights.
As a complete aside for those media watchers amongst you, you may have noticed that the Guardian editorial team are up to their old tricks again. I appeared on the Guardian Unlimited website last night commenting on the low turnout and outcome of the deputy leadership election, but true to all past form, by this morning the political editors had got to work and any reference to my name was removed.
The lesson - we have to make ouur own media and the web and blogosphere is as good as any. Spread the message.
