LAST week, around the same time I was interviewing Roz Foyer, head of the STUC, it was being announced that her counterpart in England, Frances O’Grady, was to be appointed to the House of Lords.

In our conversation, Ms Foyer had been professionally circumspect about her personal stance on Scottish independence, stating only that her organisation supported the right of Holyrood to hold an independence referendum. And that this right was reinforced by eight years of electoral victories across all of the UK’s democratic jurisdictions by the main party of independence.

As a trade union activist, Ms Foyer doesn’t differentiate between workers’ rights in Scotland and those across the rest of the UK and the world beyond. Not once did she attempt to suggest that Holyrood and Westminster now operated on different cultural, political and moral universes as some Scottish nationalists are fond of insisting.

As it soon transpired though, there was really no need for her to spell it out. As Ms Foyer spoke passionately and eloquently about the need for the British trade union movement to bridge the gap between political rhetoric and taking firm action Ms O’Grady was demonstrating one of the main reasons why the UK’s ruling classes rarely have to work hard to undermine the workers’ cause. When those elected to advocate for workers make such a good job of undermining them at the same time the boss class really don’t need to worry about inequality being reduced any time soon.

Frances O’Grady’s appointment to the UK’s unelected chamber of political placemen, Church of England bishops and billionaire Tory donors seeking the ultimate gift that money can’t buy shocked several trade union activists. These included men and women who thought that there were no more chapters to be written in the Bestiary of Political Hypocrisy and Working-Class Sell-outs.

In Scotland, we thought we’d seen it all with the larks of the feckless SNP MP, Pete “Slippers” Wishart. After several years of living the high life at the Palace of Westminster, Mr Wishart had become so mesmerised by its baubles and finery that he wanted to become Speaker of the Parliament his party is committed to leaving.

One lifelong trade union activist, a man who’s not normally prone to over-statement, was astounded at how “normal” Ms O’Grady’s acceptance of this elevation had seemed and at how little criticism it had elicited in the English left. “This is truly disgusting,” he said. “She’s now known as Frances of Assisi: ‘Please Lord …’”

The press release issued by the TUC to proclaim Ms O’Grady’s elevation to ermine was straight from the Liz Truss chronicle of political sophistry. In it, the TUC president Sue Ferns said: “This is a testament to Frances’ leadership of the trade union movement.

“Frances has worked tirelessly to improve people’s lives at work and secured many achievements – not least the furlough scheme. Her work is far from done. We look forward to having another ally in the House of Lords fighting to defend the right to strike and workers’ rights.”

Commenting on the announcement, Frances O’Grady said: “I will do everything I can to resist this government’s plans to attack workers’ pay and rights and protect the right to strike.”

In reality, what this really means is: “Frances has worked tirelessly to keep her head down; not rock the boat; not scare the horses and keep everything on an even keel. She didn’t get where she is today by upsetting anyone and this softly-softly approach has now paid handsome dividends for her.

“But it doesn’t end here: oh no and far from it! Frances has earned the approval of the 756 members of the Upper Chamber by resisting the urge to make life uncomfortable for them and for sticking to the rules of the game. They will welcome her with open arms and velvet slippers.

“She will be a valuable addition to this august body. And she looks forward to having little fireside chats about challenges in the labour market with their ladyships and lordships after the Confit Aylesbury Duck and orange and the Norfolk charred cauliflower cous-cous puree.”

Ms O’Grady’s ten years at the helm of the TUC has not exactly upset the natural rhythms of British capital. Hers is best described as a glacial approach and at the invisible end of under-stated. My trade union source described this is in more uncompromising terms.” The quotes about fighting for workers’ rights are from a different reality,” he said. “She’s never led a single strike in her life.”

Ms O’Grady’s elevation to the House of Lords comes at the behest of the UK Labour Party. This party’s leader, the Knight of the Realm Sir Keir Starmer, forbade any of his MPs earlier this year from supporting workers’ campaigns for modest pay rises by joining them on their picket lines.

I’m sure these little differences can be worked out when the newly exalted Baroness O’Grady invites her fellow noble Sir Keir into the Lords’ dining-room for some of that lemon and chervil poached guinea fowl ballotine … just like their grannies used to make.

The TUC has five and a half million members, many of whom have been on picket lines in recent months, taking industrial action for modest pay increases that may, just may, keep pace with the rate of inflation. For this they have been accused of greed and of holding the country to ransom by the people whose interests are best preserved by the House of Lords.

There is rejoicing in their Lordships’ House when just one sinner from the labouring classes repents of their ways and joins them in their anointed, £323-a-day private Rotary Club. Great must be their glee when it’s the actual leader of the great unwashed who comes knocking at their door with a bowl and hands outstretched.

This is their favourite type of trade unionist: supine, inoffensive and always knowing their place. And always knowing who’s really running the show, old boy.

Read more by Kevin McKenna:

Kevin McKenna Interview: STUC chief on the fight for pay increases

Kevin McKenna at Large: Chilly north still warm haven for SNP faithful