Did Peter Hain understand Clegg’s speech?

Hain gave this speech to Labour conference. At the end, he brought up Nick Clegg’s apparent attack on Trade Unionism.

This is what Hain said:

And let me say this to Nick Clegg who last week attacked our Party’s link with 3 million trade unionists just as his Tory master David Cameron will do next week.

Ten days ago who was there at the very start for the trapped Welsh miners?

The South Wales National Union of Mineworkers.

Who is now looking after their traumatised families?

The NUM.

Trade unionism is vital in any society and we are proud of our union link.

This is Clegg’s apparent attack on Trade Unionism in his speech to Conference last Wednesday:

And today Labour is in hock to the trade union barons. After their government stipend, 95% of Labour’s money comes from unions. Most of it from just four of them. Let me be clear: The values of trade unionism are as relevant as ever. Supporting workers. Fighting for fairness at work. But I don’t think the unions should be able to buy themselves a political party. Ed Miliband says he wants to loosen the ties between Labour and the union barons who helped him beat his brother. Let’s see him put his money where his mouth is. Let’s see if he’ll support radical reform of party funding. Every previous attempt has been blocked by the vested interests in the other two parties.

Hain thinks this is an attack on the trade unions.

Its not.

Its an attack on Labour being a party of vested interests.

Nick clearly states that the values of trade unionism are as important as ever – that includes the NUM doing everything they could to help the trapped miners from the start and doing everything to help their families now.

What Nick attacked was the trade unions buying themselves a party, which they have done and are doing considering 95% of Labour’s money comes from Trade Unions.

The labour party would become bankrupt if it wasn’t for the trade unions, therefore it would be easy for them to influence and control your policies.

You cannot govern in the national interest, if you are a party of vested interests. It doesn’t matter what that vested interest is, or how valuable that vested interested is.

The national interest is only served when vested interests are balanced.

That’s what Nick Clegg was saying. Its a shame that Peter Hain and Labour can’t understand that.