Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants v Osborne

Osborne, a member of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants for 16 years in Walthamstow, alleged that the union's creation of a political fund to support the Labour Representation Committee in elections was done irregularly in breach of union procedure.

This principle has been repeatedly acted upon in the case of West-end clubs, and the conclusion is enough to dispose of the appeal in favour of the appellant; but we have had able arguments on the second proposition, and it seems desirable that I should state my view upon it, in case it should be held elsewhere that the society is an illegal association at common law on the ground of restraint of trade.

We have nothing but the rules before us, and everything turns upon the construction of these rules.The House of Lords judgment threatened one of the Labour party's main funding sources.

David Lloyd George, the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave MPs a wage of £400 per annum, which alleviated financial problems.

Under TULRCA 1992 s 82, members had the right to not contribute to a political fund, not be discriminated against for it, and the right to complain to the Certification Officer, but this was overturned by Sections 11 and 12 of the Trade Union Act 2016 which requires members to opt in to a political fund, and to be given details about how this money will be used.