Over the weekend, both the Observer and the Independent reported that the Labour party is to overhaul its relationship with the unions.

This was extrapolated from a fairly middle-of-the-road speech Ed Miliband gave, on how the party needs to do more to listen, with no mentions of the unions whatsoever.

Michael Crick at the BBC is taking this further, claiming:

I am told on high authority that it was meant as a warning to the unions that Miliband wants to cut back their block vote at the party conference.

Except that a source close to Ed Miliband today told me Ed does not expect any changes to the Labour party’s relationship with the unions “in the near future”.

Update: My mistake, I confused Labour’s traditional link with the unions (which will remain unaffected according to senior sources) with what happens at Labour conference (which is now subject to overhaul).

Apologies for the error.

Reader comments

1. sunny hundal

   Labour isn’t changing its relationship with unions "in the near future" says a top source, contradicting journalists http://bit.ly/jbTTfS

2. Anonymous

3. Pam Field

   Labour isn’t changing its relationship with unions "in the near future" says a top source, contradicting journalists http://bit.ly/jbTTfS