Before the meeting began, the proceedings were marred by heavy-handed tactics on the part of meeting stewards who had been instructed to refuse entry to anyone “not on the list”. Long-standing left-wingers were turned away on the door after being told they were not recognized. This included activists from Swansea and formers employees from Rolls Royce in Bristol. One worker, who had been an active trade unionist for 39 years was refused admittance for a range of spurious reasons. Instead of a welcome, people were treated with suspicion and contempt if their faces didn’t fit. While some were told they could not register as they had arrived late, others were told by organisers they would be denied access despite being on time. In addition many had decided not to attend after they had been told in advance that they would not be welcome at the meeting.

This bureaucratic behaviour was challenged by Jerry Hicks who spoke at the start of the meeting. He stated that if these workers were being excluded through no fault of their own, then he would not want to participate in an undemocratic meeting and walked out. He was followed by about 30 supporters who, together with those who had been excluded, decided to organise a meeting of their own.

In the meantime, a row broke out in the main meeting which then narrowly voted to admit all those excluded into the meeting. This news was transmitted to those outside, who then proceeded jubilantly to enter the main hall. However, after some protests, the chair decided to rule that while everyone could attend the meeting, only those who had previously registered could vote. This decision reduced the meeting to a farce. This led to the second walk out by Jerry and supporters.

Those who had been excluded and those who had walked out in solidarity convened a meeting in one of the side rooms in the venue. Speaker after speaker, who gave their place of work and length of time in the union movement, recounted how they were denied access to the main hall on the most flimsy of excuses. Many were UNITE stewards and branch officials in engineering, construction, manufacturing and other sectors. A wide-ranging discussion was held about the problems of the union, how a genuine left should operate, and which way forward for the left. While everyone was keen for Jerry to stand as a left rank-and-file candidate in the election for General Secretary, this question was left for further consideration and consultation. It became clear to those present that the real reason for the Manchester meeting was not to hold a democratic selection meeting, but to ensure a rigged meeting would simply rubber stamp a predetermined nomination.

In the meantime, the hustings for a candidate was taking place in the main hall between Len McCluskey, the favoured candidate of the old TGWU bureaucracy and full-time officials, and Rob Williams, the rank-and-file convener at Linemar in Swansea. In the vote, McCluskey got 170 votes to 49 for Williams.

The bulk of those voting for Williams would have also supported Jerry Hicks. With Hicks refusing to participate in a conference where his supporters had been excluded and told not to attend, then, with sufficient support he could put himself forward as a credible rank-and-file left candidate, one who had obtained 40% of the vote in his recent challenge for General Secretary for Amicus. He is certainly very well placed in the new election for General Secretary of UNITE next year.

The United Left has become not a broad left, but a narrow undemocratic left, seeking to exclude those who pose a challenge to their pre-conceived decisions. The fact that they regarded new participants with hostility is a real indication of where they stand and why they will never be able to build a genuine democratic left organisation, let alone build a fighting union based on the interests of the membership.