Labour ready to loosen trade union ties

LABOUR leader Eamon Gilmore last night signalled the party was ready to loosen its ties to trade unions.

In what could herald an historic shift, Mr Gilmore insisted the relationship between the two needed to redefined as a key part of updating Labour’s outlook and appeal.

After a successful debut conference as leader, Mr Gilmore also firmed up his stance on electoral pacts, ruling out any formal accord with Fine Gael or others.