Labour’s union reforms risk handing power to the frontbench at the expense of party members

The controversy surrounding the Labour selection process in Falkirk has seen the party’s formal links with the trade union movement questioned. In response to this, Ed Miliband announced a series of reforms that go to the heart of this decades old relationship. But, according to Eric Shaw, while these reforms would end certain anomalies, they would not necessarily democratise the party, and risk dis-empowering ordinary union members.