An Evening of HOPE

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 13 September 2010, 18:11

I’m up in Manchester at the moment for the TUC conference. With Labour in opposition and massive spending cuts on the horizon there is certainly a different feel to the event this year. Last night we held an Evening of HOPE – a social event to thank the unions for their support in the recent election campaigns. Over 120 people attended the event, with sizeable turnouts from Unite, GMB and Unison. Also out in force were staff from Thompsons Solicitors, who had backed our bus campaign. The TUC’s Deputy General Secretary Frances O’Grady was present, as were three regional TUC secretaries.

The Daily Mirror’s Kevin Maguire introduced an eight-minute film on the Battle for Barking and Dagenham, an account on our great victory over the BNP in East London.

It was great to meet up with so many old friends but there was also business to be done. The event gave us an opportunity to meet and discuss our current campaigns with individual unions and the TUC.