The war on political participation by trade unions as such is bound up with the war on political participation by religious bodies or figures as such by means of the revival of the law of undue spiritual influence.
From the middle of the nineteenth century, through the great struggles of the twentieth, right down to the present day, organised labour and organised religion (especially, but not exclusively, Christianity) have been the two great forces for social justice and for peace.
Not always, in either case. But whenever there has been such a force, then those two elements have been not only present, but prominent. The great dictators, and indeed the small ones, have had their puppet unions and their puppet churches. But they have mercilessly persecuted the real thing, in both cases.
Yet this Government wants to shut them both up, and this Government wants to shut them both out. That says a very, very, very great deal.
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