The Man at the Back

This article was a tribute to the late Tom Sawyer, former General Secretary of the Labour Party (1994-98) and Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Public Employees, later UNISON, 1982-94. Sawyer played a leading role in the modernisation of the Labour Party from 1983, playing a leading role in the Inquiry into the Militant Tendency in 1985/6 and spearheading major policy changes through the 1987-92 Policy Review. From his position as General Secretary of the Labour Party, he advised Tony Blair on constitutional changes, including crucially, Clause IV and Partnership in Power. Sawyer's unbroken contribution to Labour and trade union reform from the early 1980s played a crucial role in Labour's 1997 victory.