So a famous political philosopher once said. He said this in contrast to the traditional adage, so often used by the unscrupulous, that the end justify the means.

The correctness of the philosopher is borne out by the current situation in PCS. In the NEC majority and the Left Unity statements, great emphasis is placed on how democratic they are.

On the PCS website they claim that, ‘More than any other union, PCS has enshrined democracy at the heart of everything we do. We led the call for annual elections and conferences’. If democracy is indeed enshrined at the heart of everything they do and they call for annual elections (the end) then the means by which that is arrived at, cannot be the lack of democracy and no annual elections. If you want a democratic regime then act in a democratic way. And you don’t need to be a philosopher to work that one out.