The Weekly Poll Lowdown (with a 2 and 1/2 week delay)

After a fairly long break of 6 days and having consigned weaknesses of 1920s Japanese Democracy and Mercantilism to the history books, #ThingsElliottSays has returned for a weekly (with a 2 and 1/2 week delay) poll lowdown.

Well, with a high turnout of 72, we have pretty accurate figures which show that 60% of you believe that an investigation should be launched into the practices of the Unite Union after the Grangemouth dispute. Just over a third of you however disagree, I'd expect some of these votes are from those who are fully paid up Unite (formerly Labour Party) members.

It was all happening at Grangemouth.

Should the Government launch an inquiry into the Unite Union and their tactics during the Grangemouth dispute?

Yes.	60%
No.	35%
Unsure.	6%

Total votes: 72

Firstly let's run through what has alleged to have happened. The Unite Grangemouth leader, a chap named Stephen Deans who was involved in the voting rigging at Falkirk, has been using 'leverage tactics' against Ienos the people who run Grangemooth. 'Leverage tactics' from eyewitness reports and photos is not setting up a picket at the factory and giving a friendly wave to all the people going in, nor is it going down to London to shout at central HQ. What it involves is a strong mob turning up at bosses houses, in Hampshire not Scotland, with a giant rat threatening and bullying families and then possibly telling everyone how evil the occupant of the house is whilst distributing wanted posters of him. All of these were tactics legitimised, organised and encouraged by Mr Deans, who Dave described as a 'rogue union official'. He seems a very nice man.

Someone's house is a totally legitimate scene for an industrial dispute according to Stephen Deans.

I am very surprised it has had to come to David Cameron and the police launching investigations into this saga. As a trade union which wants to command the public's respect and wants to look after members jobs, or should want to at least, the Unite Union when it heard of what has happened should have launched an investigation. However Len McCluskey has said there will be no internal investigation and any inquiry is a 'Tory Stunt'.

I don't have Pogonophobia or anything but I really hate Len McCluskey's beard.

Then, if Unite refuses to do something any trade union should do, the onus is on the very linked Labour party to see what sort of people they're dealing with as partners and find out what has been going on. Knowing how Ed Miliband wants an inquiry into absolutely everything, from the price of bananas to energy prices (which he made rise), it's surprising Red Ed hasn't called an investigation into this. Perhaps the fact that Unite now funds 77% of the Labour Party and Labour has announced it will no longer seek to change its role with trade unions is a reason why they're pretty happy with their current trade union standing.

I don't think it is right to intimidate and call it a 'protest'. Nor should you 'protest' at somebody's house and involve their family. In fact this reminds me of the nasty days of Labour and trade unions; perhaps we are returning somewhat to that. I doubt Ed Miliband will change any laws but he seems to be very good at turning a blind eye at all the things wrong with his party. 

Vote in the new weekly poll (I promise it will be weekly).

Need I say any more.