The Labour-run London Borough of Waltham Forest recently issued an amendment to their Code of Conduct for employees. It requires them to declare to senior officers “any private or personal interests...that they consider could bring about conflict with the authority’s interests” including “membership of, or association with...organisations such as the Freemasons and Trade Unions”.
Labour Party members were incensed that a Council run by Labour for the last eleven years could regard trade unions as conflicting with the authority’s interests, or equate them with freemasons. Upon raising the matter, they discovered that councillors and unions had not been consulted about the amendment to the Code. They are seeking its withdrawal and an assurance that any replacement will be subject to proper consultation.