Stop,Look,Listen…my weekly selection of favourite films, books and events to get you out of the house

Watch…..two films and hear some live music…Manchester Film Cooperative’s next event is at the Antwerp Mansion in downtown Rusholme. Antwerp Mansion is: a renovation project, aiming to turn a beautiful but run down Victorian Mansion into a Music, Art and Photography Haven. See
On 24 April from 6.30pm MFC are showing Invisible Circus, a film about Bristol’s anarchist circus over three years. This is followed at 8.30pm by the excellent film Exit Through the Gift Shop in which artist Banksy tells the story of Thiweey Guetta, a French immigrant in Los Angeles and his obsession with street art. Throughout the evening there is live music from local folk group Richard Barry and the Chaps.
Entrance fee, an incredible £5/34.

Celebrate…on May 1 it’s the 39th birthday of co-operative bookshop News From Nowhere in Liverpool. Not just a bookshop, but an essential part of the Liverpool left scene. There is a whole day of events including a talk by NFN stalwart Mandy Vere on the history of the shop and how they have managed to keep an independent radical bookshop and co-operative afloat in these Amazon times.

Read……..Bedsit Disco Queen;How I Grew Up and Tried to be a Popstar…Tracey Thorn was the other half of 80s pop duo Everthing But the Girl. Her biography is a sweet and insightful glimpse into growing up in the 80s. Like me she went to Hull University and was influenced by the politics of the era which appeared in some of their songs. Before EBYG she was in a woman’s band the Marine Girls. She captures the excitement of punk…. It triggered in me a passion for pop music She is also challenged by the feminism of that time..I had discovered feminism and through my reading of Germaine Greer,Betty Friedan and Kate Millet I was finding a theoretical famework for many of the grievances I’d had since I was a teenager. Looking back at this era -she is now in her 50s -she is aware of how things have changed for young women in an industry where artifice and concealment seem most in evidence. EBTG were a great pop band because Tracey and Ben were interested in writing and performing well written songs with good melodies and it is that sincerity that comes out this book. Buy it from NFN, of course.

Find out more about the NHS……….Socialist Health Association are organising a seminar at Manchester University about the NHS. Find out about how the NHS works and how you can get involved. Its more important to do so now then ever before. The SHA has existed since the 60s and has campaigned for a universal healthcare system based on socialist principles . For more information see….

Another film….Palestinian Womens’ Scholarship fund event on Sunday 28 April 2013 at 2-5pm at Denshaw Village Hall, Saddleworth OL3 5SJ . All money raised will go to support women in Gaza and the West Bank through university education.The film - And Still they Dance charts the visit of young men and women from the Jabalia Refugee camp,Gaza to Sheffield and what has become of them since. The Palestinian film maker will be present. Tickets are £8 or £4 concessions and includes light refreshments.For tickets or more information ring 07975 908409 or email saddleworth.pwsf@gmail.com

Support our libraries…..Oldham Council Libraries are hosting a BOOKMARK FESTIVAL – Murder, Comedy And Television, from 20 -26 April, a weeklong celebration of all things literary in the borough. Meet authors, find out about writing for TV and listen to poets. Further details see

And in the week that Thatcher died….listen to Selma James, one of the most outstanding feminist thinkers of her time, debate her legacy with Edwina Curry, ex-MP and Thatcher clone, on the BBC’s Broadcasting House see

Stop,Look,Listen…my weekly selection of favourite films, books and events to get you out of the house

Watch…Good Vibrations…and discover an aspect of 70s Belfast that is not well known…the punk scene and one man’s struggle to bring some life into a bombed out city. His name was Terri Hooley and he ran a record shop and record label called Good Vibrations. Together with the kids he created a punk community determined to breathe life into their society and to try and negate some of the hardships of living in an occupied and war torn city. On his record label he signed one of my favourite bands, the Undertones. The shop still continues, so if you are in Belfast……

Look at…the new video piece by Yoshua Okon called OCTOPUS. Staged at the Los Angeles version of B&Q, the Home Depot, the artist got former Guatemalan soldiers to act out their military past. Guatemala has a bloody and violent past with over 30 years of a civil war,  including genocide against the Mayan community, and widespread human rights violations. Many Guatemalans now work in LA as day labourers and it was in the Home Depot where they search for work that the artist found the participants for his project.  There is something really eerie about this video, partly due to it being projected against four walls, but also that it was shot alongside your everyday shoppers in a parking lot. See what you think…….

Support the train  cleaners…invisible to passengers and paid peanuts by the companies who employ them. The RMT are raising the case of the cleaners on Arriva Wales who have outsourced the work to  a private company called Churchill’s. Like most of these companies,  they are a profitable firm,   but are refusing to give the workers a pay rise in line with inflation, who, like most low wage workers,  are seeing their real wages fall. RMT believe that it is  only if this work is brought in-house by Arriva Wales that this exploitation will cease. It is also calling on the Welsh government to get involved and to support the workers’ demands. You can support the cleaners by signing this petition at

Seek justice for Orgreave miners…The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign is seeking truth and justice for all miners victimised by the police at the Orgreave Coking Plant, South Yorkshire, on June 18th, 1984.Orgreave is part of the pattern of cover ups and lies by the police from many different forces, which are now being exposed. The campaign  calls for a full public inquiry, to take place as soon as possible, into the policing and subsequent statements recorded by the police at the time .It asks that everyone who seeks the truth and wants justice to support the campaign see

Oppose victimisation…many trade unionists face victimisation for  standing up for the rights of their members,  but UNITE activist Steve Acheson has done more than most to expose the illegal blacklisting of workers by employers, particularly in the construction industry.  He and others have been blacklisting for trying to ensure a safe working environment for workers in one of the most hazardous industries, or for trade union activity. Steve has been protesting outside Fiddlers Ferry power station since he was sacked from his job there in December 2008 as a result of being on the blacklist as a “troublemaker”.  He’s faced every sort of harassment – even having to fight off charges under anti-terrorism legislation to defend his right to protest.

Steve’s stand led to the blacklisting Consulting Association being raided by the Information Commissioner over offences against the Data Protection Act.  Its manager, Ian Kerr, gave evidence before a House of Commons inquiry a few months ago.  Kerr promised to give further evidence in private about matters involving the security services, but his sudden and unexpected death prevented him doing so.

There is an appeal to raise £25,000 to avoid Steve losing his home as a result of the illegal conspiracy to deny him work. Please make a donation to “Fiddlers Ferry Hardship Fund”  which can be sent c/o Warrington Trades Union Council, 6 Red Gables, Pepper Street, Warrington, WA4 4SB.

For more information see the Blacklist Blog.

Show your support… for the Morning Star, the only left wing daily in Britain, at the Ordinary Rebels Morning Star Social on March 28th from 7pm at 3 Minute Theatre. Join comedian Dave Puller, poet Alex keelan and singer Claire Mooney for an evening of folk music, stand up poetry and satirical sketches. Only £3! See for further information

Keep Our NHS Public protest …..on the Ist of April the NHS is going through a massive change and one that many of us are not happy with, so to mark our determination to challenge the new regime join us on 2nd April, 7.30am Cornbrook Metrolink, 7.45am Media:City Metrolink, 8am outside BBC building Media:City.. Join us at those times en route if you can’t make it to Cornbrook for 7.30am.
We’ll be leafleting commuters on the way.
A community choir will join us at Media City and everyone is urged to bring
NHS-related fancy dress for a bit of street theatre outside BBC building.
Let’s make this as lively and photogenic as possible!
We appreciate it’s early, but please do try to get along.
Organised by KONP Greater Manchester – supported by GMATUC/Greater Manchester Against Cuts.

The Spirit of 45 and my hopes for 2013

Ken Loach’s new film The Spirit of 45 looks back to a time in the history of this country that now seems almost impossible to imagine.

I spoke to Ken last year when he was filming at the Working Class Movement Library. It’s about the spirit of 1945”, he told me, ”the election and war victories, and what people thought they were building when they took over the public utilities, including the mines, railways and established the NHS.

The Spirit of 45 aims to recapture the spirit of an era when working class people were winning. The Labour Party won a landslide victory in the General Election in 1945, and went on to nationalise public industries such as the mines and railways and also create the National Health Service. As Ken says, It’s to celebrate the possibilities that people had in the 40s and to remember them.

He is clear about who is responsible for the destruction of the dreams of 1945, believing that the key principles of that period have been betrayed by successive politicians, It began in the late 70s with Thatcher at the forefront of attacks on nationalised industries Ken says, but carried on under New Labour. It is not politically correct to remember the times when we owned things collectively. Now people are taught to be competitive and not to work together as a team. He feels that if we are to reclaim the NHS, and other forms of common ownership, a new mass movement is needed. We need people to come together, to stop the sectarian splits, stop the charismatic leaders and get together in a mass, democratic organisation.

I am not so sure that it is as simple as Ken sincerely believes. Thatcher did undoubtedly wreak havoc in the 1980s across our public services and created mass unemployment, never mind the effect on the trade unions, the Labour Party and the left in this country. I was involved in supporting the Miners in the 1984-1985 strike, as were tens of thousands of others.

However my own experience is that, with the growth of the economy in the 1990s, many working class people managed to get a standard of living only dreamt of or seen on TV, although it is true that some of this was gained through buying and then selling council properties and that people used credit to buy a lifestyle that they could not afford, including several holidays abroad every year, being able to move into a more middle class neighbourhood and having greater expectations for their children.

Maybe the deference factor changed in that working class people now felt they had a right to a better way of life. And maybe after working with, or being managed by middle class managers, they knew they could do those jobs. They did not feel it was a fair system whereby those jobs went to people who had the money to ensure that they could get better jobs for themselves and their children.

Women were beneficiaries of the boom in the 1990s, as the expansion in banking, finance and the public services gave them jobs and opportunities for advancement. Childrens’ Services, for instance, where I worked was just one area where, as the legal framework and professionalisation of the service increased, women from all different education backgrounds were able to take advantage of the new jobs.

Gaining financial independence meant women could make more choices about their lifestyle including marriage, cohabitation, children and also indulging themselves, symbolised by the number of nail parlours on every high street.

But what about the Left during this time? I have always worked in the public sector and it seems to me the trade unions just retreated into being part of the service sector. When I was a shop steward in Manchester in the 1980s we had regular meetings with members, branch meetings and an annual general meeting. By the 1990s there were few of these meetings, reflecting the attitude of the members and the absence of the union.

The decline of manufacturing and engineering in this country mirrored the retreat of the trade unions and lack of organisation in the new areas of work. Whilst unions such as Usdaw still organised in the growing sector of the supermarkets. other areas became union-free, including retail outlets and catering , areas which saw lots of young people get their first job and experience (often after after 3 years of a degree), working in conditions similar to a sweat shop. The trade unions had forgotten the lessons of the early 20 Century when organisations such as National Federation of Women Workers and Manchester and Salford Women’s Trades and Labour Council organised the women working in sweatshops or home working.

Over the last twenty years life for young people has seen many changes, often for the worse. For young people who live in poor families, or have had to leave the family home, the change in benefits introduced by the Tories in 1988 when their right to claiming benefits was reduced to a discretionary basis meant the creeping dependency of young people on their parents/carers. They were expected and encouraged to stay in full-time education at 16 (hence the Educational Maintenance Award), but for those young people who wanted to go into an apprenticeship or just get a job, the options were limited. There was growing cultural shift so that 16-18 years olds did not work, or if they did, it was while undertaking a full-time education course.

Labour’s return to power in 1997 reinforced and accelerated this change within society. In their world everyone would want to be like them. Everyone was middleclass and everyone was winning. Their harshness to single parents, people on benefits and those who could not live the dream mirrored the Tory administrations of previous years. This was played out at the annual Labour conference which became more and more like the Tory conference. There was no vision for a better society or a more equal society, just one built on money and advancement through the accumulation of money.

So in 2013 what is happening to our dreams for a better future? Many of the jobs created over the last 20 years are now in decline as the Tories lay waste the public sector while Labour councils make no attempt to defend local services and jobs. At the same time the crisis in the banking system has already shrunk the workforce and, as in public services, led to a growing number of women losing their jobs.

Speaking to people who have lost their jobs or are just holding onto them, I can hear a growing sense of anger at the decline of not just jobs and income, but the end of a dream of a better future. Some people are looking for the antidote to this pain through alcohol and this is very obvious if you travel on public transport to cities such as Manchester or if you spend any time in the A&E’s of local hospitals.

Ironically it is the campaign to save the NHS that seems to offer the opportunity for people to get together to start building an opposition to the wholesale destruction of our way of life. At a recent conference in Manchester over 100 people (many not from the traditional left) met up to challenge the privatisation of the NHS.

Like Ken, I do believe that we need a mass movement to produce a better society, but I think we are far from achieving that at the moment. I think we need films such as The Spirit of 45 to remind us of the past, but I think if and when change comes, it will have to come from those people who are at the bottom and who are really experiencing the harshness of life.

Spirit of 45 can be seen at

Join the protest against the privatisation of the NHS April 2

Timing: assemble 7.30am Cornbrook Metrolink stop (free parking nearby), go to Media:City Metrolink stop 7.45am, go outside BBC building on Media:City campus at 8am. Join us at those times en route if you can’t make it to Cornbrook for 7.30.

Stop,Look,Listen…my weekly selection of favourite films, books and events to get you out of the house

Watch…Tull at the Octagon Theatre…what has happened to political theatre I am constantly asking myself,  and then up pops a brilliant play. It’s the real story of Walter Tull, the second black professional footballer in Britain,  and one of the few black officers in the British Army. Phil Vasili researched and wrote a book about Walter which has now been turned into a play. Its not just the story of a mixed race young man and his search for fulfilment on the football and military field but a young man who is part of one of the most dynamic periods of history in this country; 1888 to 1918. A period when the campaign for the vote for women was at its heigth and Vasili knows his history as we watch Tull’s suffragette girlfriend Annie speak at public meetings to make the case for equality and oppose the First World War, two of the most controversial subjects of this era. It all takes place on an empty stage and the actors wear modern clothes allowing the audience to concentrate on the words and actions of a dynamic and totally engrossing play. Its well worth catching but get there before the 16 March further details see

Look…at The original rocku/mocku/documentary. One More Chance by local film maker John Crumpton; Shane Ventura, the legendary rock ‘n’ roll artist of the late fifties and early sixties, narrates the emotional journey of his rise to fame and his equally meteoric fall…

John is a BAFTA award winning sound editor, film and video maker, writer, trainer, BECTU learning organiser and photographer. He makes inspiring and idiosyncratic films including the hit Tea Machine, and I Married a Cult Figure from Salford,  as well as documenting important political events such as the International Workers Memorial Day  featuring Claire Mooney singing A Day to Remember.  To watch these films see

 

Find out about…..The Youth of Palestine; How the occupation is blighting their future at a public meeting organised by Oldham Trades Council on Monday 18 March,  7pm. Speakers to include: Bernard Regan, Trade Union Officer, Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Venue; Oldham Unitarian Chapel, Oldham. Further details contact secretary@oldham.nut.org.uk

Celebrate…International Womens Week….here are some of my favourites…

3 March..Women at Peterloo walk…led by Michael Herbert from  Red Flag History walks, who is the author of “Up then Brave women”, Manchester’s radical women, 1819-1918.   He is also doing walks on 8 March on radical women in Manchester  and 10 March on “Votes for Women”.  booking advised in advance, go to

3-10 March at Three Minute Theatre:..an exciting programme of drama and arts events to celebrate minority womens issues and provide a platform for their voices. See

7 March 12.30-1.30 and 6pm-8. 30pm A talk about artists Isabel Dacre and Annie Swynnerton at Manchester Art Gallery. The gallery has 17 pictures by Dacre who studied at the Manchester School of Art who  with Swynnerton,  founded the Manchester Society of Women Artists in 1876. Not just an artist, Dacre was a member of the executive committee of the Manchester National Society for Women’s Suffrage. For more info see    FREE

8 March 1.15-2pm..Living History Performance; The Hard Way Up-A Suffragette’s Story. Hannah Mitchell is one of my heroes, her life is a testament to the many workingclass women who gave their life to the struggle for equality and justice for women and men. This is an excellent play, written by Eileen Murphy,  and we need more of these stories to inspire us today. See FREE

9 March…2-4pm  Working Class Movement Library.. northwest writer, Livi Michael,  author of  Malkin Child, and activist,  Ruth Eversley,  discuss what it means to be an outsider from  the Pendle Witches to the asylum Seekers and refugees of today.  For more information see FREE

More history…..A blog that offers the public the opportunity to tell their story about the history of Manchester. It says;

HistoryME is a community in which we all get to tell our story and how we have all contributed to the history of Manchester and how we are shaping its future. It’s where the History of Manchester is written  by you. Its simple because its FREE and all you have to do is write about what you know; you and your history, your family and friends, community and your relationship to the great city of Manchester.

 

Indulge in some forbidden arts……… Callout: Manchester Temporary Autonomous Arts is back!! 6th – 9th March. An underground movement has continued to rise over the past 10 years to become an exciting, active, and important network aiming to provide spaces for people not catered for in our consumer driven individualist society. Opening its doors to artists, poets, musicians and creatives of all kinds on Wednesday 6th March for the 4 day event, we hope YOU will join us in the tide of DIY culture, energy, ideas and fun. This unique open access event aims to unite people from all backgrounds on many different levels with creativity, workshops, food, discussion, skill shares, films, and music and and all good things people feel to bring. See

Eat……and make your views heard.…..  Salford based theatre company Quarantine are offering you a free lunch at Manchester curry house, the Kabana Café, if you talk to them for half an hour. It is refreshing that a theatre group want to listen to their customers,  and maybe other companies should follow when going to the theatre is a luxury item. For more info on the monthly curry and chats visit http://www.qtine.com or you can book your place by emailing info@qtine.com or calling 0161 830 7318.
Next date is Wednesday 13 March 2013
Time: Half hour slots between 12 noon – 2.30pm
Venue: Kabana Café
Address: 52 Back Turner Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 1FP

Community Cohesion at its best : Oldham Unity Destitution Project

22 February is Destitution Awareness Day- what is the reality for people who are destitute and and do we have a responsibility towards helping them? This is an account of a day I spent at the Oldham Unity Destitution Project last summer……………

It is one of the sunniest days in Oldham and the Baptist Church is packed as the weekly Oldham Unity Destitution Project gets going. In the kitchen older local women from the church and two young, brightly dressed, Muslim women are serving hot food and drinks. In the main hall people from many different countries are sitting at tables, enjoying the food and, of course, cups of tea. In the creche the children are playing, whilst their parents are making their choice from the tables of food that stretch across three of the walls.

The Oldham Unity Destitution Project started after the riots nine years ago as a befriending project for asylum seekers , since when it has expanded to provide a vital service for the growing destitute community in the Oldham area. Every week without fail it provides a food parcel worth £6.50 to at least 50 destitute refugees. This consists of basics such as rice, lentils and tins of tomatoes.

Stewart Bailey, secretary of the group, tells me that: the project responds to a humanitarian need. Destitution means that people have fled conflict in countries including Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine,just to mention a few. Many are traumatised and have to prove their refugee status. They often fail due to personal factors such as trauma and a lack of proof, as well as not being able to access legal support. Whilst in this process the government supports them with housing and a small amount of money. But, once they are deemed as not eligible as refugees, they have all their housing and money withdrawn and become destitute. Even if they want to appeal, it is difficult due to the changes in Legal Aid to get solicitors to take up the case, while dedicated services such as Oldham Law Centre has now closed.

Even for people who decide that they are prepared to go back to their home country it is not straightforward as Stewart explains: These people can apply for Section 4 funding which will provide financial support whilst they are waiting to return home. But not everyone is accepted and some countries such as Iran will not accept them back anyway.

The Red Cross attend the project each week and check people’s eligibility for destitution support. They are able to give limited financial help for the first year. After that the project, which is not a charity, has to meet the costs, raised by regular appeals.

The project is run entirely by volunteers. As Stewart says; People get involved because of their philosophical or political views. We range from Marxists to Methodists. Many local faith groups provide support, including the Baptist Church who provide a city centre venue. Other churches provide weekly food collections while the Pakistani community provide storage for our food. On the day I was there,during Ramadan, Islamic charities were providing bags of food including fresh meat, a rare treat for the recipients as the project has no cold storage facilities.

Ruth and Mike, volunteers, sort donations.

The project has built up good local links with NHS services Local medical and dental practices will register people and will accept the Baptist Church as an address, Stuart explains: Many of the refugees come from war torn countries and need counselling and so the project refers them to the Freedom from Torture service.

One of the people using the project when I visited was Ali, a Kurdish young man who had fled Iran due to his political activity. He told me his story: I came from Iran nine months ago and applied for asylum. They rejected my claim and now I have no housing or money. I come to the project for food and clothes. In Iran I was a football player and I want to get back into this. Mike Luft, one of the volunteers, has been helping Ali to link up with local team FC United.http://www.fc-utd.co.uk.

They have been very positive in supporting some of our young men. It’s not just about giving them food and clothing, its about helping them to join the society we are all part of. Mike and his wife Heather provided practical support by taking Ali to the sports training ground so that he can join the weekly training group.

Robin Pye, who co-ordinates the community and education work at FC United, told me of their work with asylum seekers and refugees: FC United want to benefit the community we serve so we provide support to groups that have differing needs. including unemployed young men as well as asylum seekers. We recognise their particular problems of loneliness and extreme poverty.We offer sports training as a way for them to integrate into life in Manchester. Football has an international language and can help these young people by getting involved in the sport and making friends.

Stewart says that: the project is Community cohesion at its best. We work from the basis that these people are homeless and hungry, and ask the question; what can we do about it?

The project is happy to accept donations of food, clothes and money, please contact stewartbailey1943@hotmail.co.uk

Celebrating the Manchester International Brigaders!

Squeezed between the cosy couches and afternoon teas in the Sculpture Hall of Manchester Town Hall is a plaque to those people who dedicated their lives to one of the most important struggles of the 20th Century, the fight against fascism in the Spanish Civil War. Why was Spain so important? And why did some many working-class young men and women from the Manchester area,make their way to the battlefields of Spain?.

Benny Goodman, an International Brigader, explained in 1996 why he fought in Spain;

There were no financial inducements to go to fight in Spain. We weren’t mercenaries.We were idealists.

People like Benny grew up in an era when there was a rise in fascism across Europe. Hitler and Mussolini came to power on the backs of destroying democratic organisations and killing their members. In Britain, the Tory government (and Tory establishment) covertly supported the German and Italian regimes. The rise of Mosley and the British Union of Fascists showed that there was nothing foreign about fascism and its physical force mentality.

Across Britain people organised against Mosley and his armed gangs. On 29 September1934 he brought his Blackshirts to Belle Vue in Manchester. Local trade unionists and communists ignored a police ban on marches and held a protest meetin whilst , some people went into the meeting and shouted Mosley down.

Like today, in the 30s, there was a worldwide economic crisis, leading to mass unemployment and a level of social deprivation that is unheard of today. Walter Greenwood, in his novel Love on the Dole, showed how this poverty ground down every aspect of peoples’ lives. Greenwood knew what he was writing about, he came from Salford and was close to the communities he wrote about. For me the power of this book is the way he showed how people did fight back against the system and incorporated into the book is a real event when the local branch of the National Unemployed Workers Union took to the streets of Salford in October 1931 to protest against cuts in benefits.

The election of Popular Front governments in Spain and France in 1936 gave hope to socialists that there could be opposition to the rise of fascism. But as we now know, although it was Franco who led the revolt against republican Spain, he was supported by Hitler and Mussolini who were playing a bigger game in their plan to take over Europ
A number of countries signed a Non-Intervention agreement, which meant that they would not sell or send arms to Spain. These countries included Germany, Italy, the USSR, Britain and France. Germany and Italy, however, continued to support Franco with aeroplanes, tanks, and troops. Most importantly the American oil company, Standard Oil, with the backing of the US government, gave Franco the fuel to win the war.

In 21st Century Britain it is hard to explain why so many people were outraged at these events. But we are talking about a highly politicised working class who understood history and had been active themselves in many trade union and political struggles.

Organisations such as the Manchester and Salford Trades Council had throughout the 30s informed people about the rise of fascism globally. It now organised a series of events to educate and organise people to help Spain. Meetings were arranged to raise money for the National Council of Labour and the Spanish Appeal Fund. The film Defence of Madrid was shown and meetings and demonstrations were held across the city.

But some young people decided that they wanted to do more and that meant going to Spain and joining the armed forces. They left England, mostly in organised groups (although some people made their own way) and when the frontier between France and Spain was closed, they had to cross the Pyrenees, often at night. We still do not know how many people fought in the International Brigade as many used false names the British Government had passed legislation to stop people joining the Spanish republican forces.

Many people from Manchester went to Spain to work in the medical services. This included 22 year old nurse, Lillian Urmston of Stalybridge in Tameside. Her work meant nursing the wounded in caves, dodging bombing to reach injured soldiers, and fleeing across the Pyrenees whilst still caring for the sick and wounded.

Lillian Urmston

She later recounted;

On the way the Fascists were right behind us and the French didn’t want us so we were interned with the refugees in France.

Syd Booth left school at 14 and became a railway worker. He joined the Communist Party and became a leading trade union activist. As an activist in the anti-fascist struggles he saw the importance of the war in Spain and, like his mates and younger brother, he followed them and joined the International Brigade. He spent many months fighting in Spain until he was wounded and returned to England. Back home he was active in the International Brigade Association and he designed this sculpture which was dedicated to the Manchester Brigaders.

Sid Booth

The sculpture came about because Councillor Mike Hynes felt there should be a permanent memorial to the Manchester men who fought in Spain in the XV Brigade. A Greater Manchester Spanish Civil War Memorial Committee was formed, including WorkingClass Movement Library founders Ruth and Eddie Frow. Financial support for a plaque was provided by Manchester Trades Council, Labour Party organisations, MPs and individuals.

On 12 February 1983, the 46th anniversary of the Battle of Jarama, it was unveiled by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Manchester City Council. The plaque includes the names of the battles where International Brigaders fought and the farewell speech to them by the famous Pasionaria.

For many years an annual commemoration took place in February each year to remember the XV Brigade. Next month on 10 February from 11.30-12. 30 there will be a re-dedication of the plaque. Hilary Jones, one of the organisers of the ceremony said:

We are commemorating the 76th anniversary of the Battle of Jarama -when the British Battalion of the International Brigades first went into action and succeeded in holding back the fascist attack on Madrid . Approximately 150 men went from Greater Manchester ..with 46 killed. We are also honouring the contribution of the men and women of Greater Manchester who helped the Republican cause in the Medical aid for Spain movement.

The event is organised by the IBMT, an organisation that was set up in 2002 which originally included veterans of the IB Association, the friends of the IBA and representatives of the Marx Memorial Library and historians who specialise in the history of the Spanish Civil War.

In March they have organised a conference in Manchester on the anniversary of the publication of George Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia.
For further information about the International Brigaders see Bernard Barry’s excellent From Manchester to Spain published by the WorkingClassMovement Library.

Book review; This Changes Everything Occupy Wall Street and the 99% Movement

This Changes Everything Occupy Wall Street and the 99% Movement
Edited by Sarah van Gelder and the staff of YES! Magazine
ISBN 978-1-60994-587-9

The Occupy movement in this country was dominated by events at St. Paul’s in London, but smaller groups did exist in towns and cities beyond the metropolis. How Occupy has effected the politics of this country is probably too early to tell, in fact it could be said that in this country we are still reeling from the effects of the austerity agenda that the Con/Dems have been pursuing since 2010.

Occupy Manchester

In the USA the impact of the Occupy Wall Street was immediate and dramatic and activists and writers, including Sarah van Gelder and the staff at YES Magazine, decided that they needed to not just post articles on what was happening but also produce a book which would articulate the views of people inside and outside the movement, highlight changes that would be needed to empower the majority of people and show how social movements can make changes.

YES magazine and Yesmagazine.org was started in 1996 and exists to provide alternatives to the status quo, covering key issues including the reform of health care, building local economies and promoting alternatives to the climate crisis.

They are not an unbiased organisation; they proudly take the side of the oppressed;

We decided to write in a voice that recognised that we, too, are part of the 99%

They wrote the book as a collective of activists and writers, which makes the book more interesting than many of the books and articles written about the Occupy movement, including those produced in this country.

Occupy Wall Street was important because it targeted the centre of world capitalism. It started because activists were moved by the uprisings of the Arab Spring and the protests in countries such as Spain and Greece. On 17 September 2011 Adbusters magazine challenged activists to turn up at Wall Street and “bring a tent” and a few thousand people did. By the end of the day some people decided to set up a camp in Zuccotti Park and began what became a national and international movement.

What were they protesting about? Sarah van Gelder explains:

The Occupy movement, as it has come to be called, named the source of the crises of our time; Wall Street banks, big corporations, and others among the 1% are claiming the world’s wealth for themselves at the expense of the 99% and having their way with our governments.

The movement was not just about saying what the problem and how it needed solving, but most importantly, challenging the orthodoxy of the American dream, that individuals were not responsible for the dire state of the economy nor their consequent unemployment, underemployment or personal debt.

It is also utopian in its belief that the majority of people (the 99%) are key to;

Unleash(ing) the political power of millions and issued an open invitation to everyone to be part of creating a new world

The figures for the unemployed in the USA are staggering; 25 million are unemployed, underemployed or have given up looking for work. Over 45% of people have been unemployed for over 27 weeks.

Other contributors to the book showed what happened next as thousands of people descended on Zuccotti Park. Andy Kroll explained that it was not just Adbusters issuing a call to the streets, but the work of a small group of people in the New York City General Assembly that laid the foundations for the creation of a community in Zuccotti Park.

Andy’s article addresses many of the issues that activists struggle with in setting up organisations that are democratic and inclusive. One of the problems in this country is the ingrained nature of the Left which is dominated by the trade unions and socialist organisations which are out of touch and struggle to attract new activists into campaigning and struggles. I have been an activist in trade unions and community organisations and the cultures are very different. I saw this clash of cultures recently in the Greater Manchester Community Union which was set up by Unite. Trade unions are large, rich organisations which do not want to give their power away to activists, inside and outside the union. This does not bode well for their future!

Andy explains what a people’s general assembly is about;

Put simply, it’s a leader-less group of people who get together to discuss pressing issues and make decisions by pure consensus.

Sounds good and it obviously worked to an extent in Occupy, but one of the major problems with these kinds of activist movements is the absence of working class people. In this book there are many references to the diversity of the constituency at Zuccotti Park. Unfortunately, and I think this is one of the weaknesses of the book, it seems that all the contributors are writers or political pundits of one kind or another. I would have liked to seen a contribution from the security guards of 9/11 site who shared lunch with the Occupiers or the marines who formed their own group.

And whilst supporting the spirit of we are many, they are few, I am not convinced by the basic premise that everyone is affected in the same way by the global economic crisis. Young unemployed working class men in this country have been affected over a long period by the changing nature of our economy. Their lives and experiences are very different from the majority of students, graduates and trade unionists who have formed a significant part of recent protests. Some of them took part in the riots of August 2011, where they showed their contempt for capitalism and the establishment. Any movement that calls itself representative of the 99% needs to bring those young people into a political movement that reflects their lives and hopes for the future.

Overall I think this is an important book. It shows the role that large corporations and Wall Street have played in the international crises and the fact that the political establishment have refused to acknowledge this. It captures the hopes and dreams of not just the people who took part in Occupy Wall Street but of many peoples across the world who want a better world to live in. It is a manual for change providing ideas and actions that can make a better, more humane society.

Lipstick Socialist Awards 2012

Welcome to 2013! Thanks to everyone who made nominations. Hope it is inspirational for all of us in 2013 and there is certainly lots to be learnt from the choices made. Here’s to the New Year!!

Trade Unionist of the Year…Mark Serwotka of PCS.

He has constantly and continually hammered both Labour and Con/Dem Governments over their attack on our public services. His members (like local authority workers) have been privatised, marketised and given pariah status as the finance sector has been lauded and rewarded, whilst the public services have been given a deathblow by successive governments. It was Mark Serotka who led the fightback over the Con/Dems attack on public service pensions followed by the other public service trade unions. And he recognised how significant an issue it was for the government. Unfortunately the other trade unions failed to follow his lead, and they are now presiding over their own meltdown as their members are being stripped of their jobs and the public services are melting like the polar icecap.

A Unite member says Let’s hope that in 2013 we see a real fightback by the unions and maybe its time that Prentis, McCluskey et al start listening to Mark Serwotka before its too late!

Film/DVD of the Year… The Snows of Kilmanjaro. A French film with an unusual title that wouldn’t immediately label it as a film about trade unionism and globalisation. Over the last few years the French film industry has led the world in addressing some of the major issues facing many people in the west. Other films worth taking a look at are Army of Crime (about the French Resistance and the influence of other nationalities), Le Havre (about immigrants and the French)and 35 Shots of Rum ( about the African community as metro drivers and fathers).
The Snows is set amongst dockworkers who, facing a declining industry agree through theire trade union, the CGT, to ballot their members for redundancies.

Michel picks his own name for redundancy

Michel,the local shop steward, picks his name out of the drum and alongside other younger men faces the rest of his life on the dole. But, unlike some of the younger men, he is in his 50s, has had a life of permanent work, paid for his house and has a pension. He has a good relationship with his partner, children and grandchildren, but as the story unfolds, this is not the future that other redundant workers are facing in France, Britain or many other European countries. This is an important film because it reveals the anger that many young people are feeling towards an older generation of trade unionists who are experiencing redundancy but are doing so after a lifetime of not just secure wages, employment rights but also funding of education and welfare benefits. Young people are not just angry with the Con/Dems and the past Labour government but, like the young man in this film, are questioning the way trade unions are collaborating, particularly with Labour councils, to get rid of jobs and services.
George nominated this film: The Snows Of Kilimanjaro by Robert Guediguian is the best, maybe only, socialist film this year”

Demonstration of the Year…. One of the most important issues this year has been the attack on Gaza by the Israeli Government and every time I feature some aspect of the Palestinian struggle on my blog I have had an amazing response, it is a very important issue to you, dear readers. There have been many public responses to the outrageous attacks by the Israelis but the one that has been chosen as the demo of the year took place on 24 November in London.

Gaynor was there:
we managed to have the podium for the speeches set up in the pouring rain right outside the Israeli embassy and they must have heard every word of the speeches bellowed out. It was absolutely pouring down and yet there so many people were, young and old and very wet!! Tony Benn had a very bad chest. I was also late for it and very much enjoyed catching up with the tail end outside the Ritz and seeing peter tatchell chatting to the tail enders and the boat from Gaza. I was inspired as people turned up notwithstanding the ceasefire announcement (pah!) a couple of days earlier and despite the weather, and by the fact that so many of my Jewish friends were pro-same.

Further info see

Website of the Year… the Salford Star…maybe not so well known outside the north west but it should be! Run by Stephen Kingston, it is in the tradition of the local radical press of the 1970s and sits firmly on the side of the working class of Salford. Over the last year it has exposed the villainy of Salford Council and the new Mayor of Salford in their support for the interests of big business against those of the people of Salford. Not just featuring politics, the Star aims to educate and inform its readers about art, history and sport. Always cheeky and sometimes hilarious, it is on its own in trying to address the major issues, including the bankruptcy of local politics, and the struggle by people to hold onto the important things in life, including decent services and jobs.

Salford Star fan…forget Peter Kay and the millionaire comedians… read the Star and the highjinks at Clown Hall, Salford..its funnier and you can make a donation to keep it going!

Book of the Year Sex Race and Class- The Perspective of Winning by Selma James. She addresses the power relations within the working class movement, on how to organise despite and against these power relations, and drawing on the experience of Occupy in London and the US in which the Global Womens Strike has been active.

Selma James

Christine nominated this book: Selma gives an insight into the political economy of the exploitation of women, producing a theoretical basis for a revolutionary and autonomous womens’ struggle.

Music of the Year… Sarah Gillespie has won a deserved reputation on the basis of the two albums In the Current Climate and Stalking Juliet and her powerful live performances, both solo and with her band. She writes about life, love and politics, including a song about Shaker Amer, How the West was Won. Her next album, now being recorded, will be launched in July 2013.

Michael says; she wowed us at the Manchester Peace Conference social and its heartening to see a performer who is concerned about some of the most vulnerable members of our society.

Campaign of the year ….the fightback by disabled people as the Con/Dem Govt stripped some of the most vulnerable sections of the community of their benefits. Their campaign against Atos (who made the decisions) during the Paralympics was inspiring and they have led the way in the fightback against the Con/Dem Govt.

The Disabled People Against the Cuts’ message for 2013: DPAC will not be resting in any tents in 2013 but fighting with disabled people in the courts, on the streets, online and everywhere we can

Shameful Act of Betrayal of the Year… . The United Nations and Ban ki-Moon for sending into Haiti soldiers from Nepal as peacekeepers who took with them cholera. A reminder that we might believe things are bad in Europe, but that for some countries and peoples oppression means more than losing your job or benefits.

Chris says :Thousands of people died from the disease. Despite the medical evidence the UN will still not admit culpability or compensate some of the poorest people in the world. For more information see this report on the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20024400

Most Hopeful Event of the Year…Spanish Miners’ Strike. Nominated by George: The Spanish miners’ strike was inspirational. Its militant nature and tenacious support received in mining communities were exceptional. Yet again, disciplined militant tactics brought employers to the negotiation table and won results. This holds many lessons for the timid and increasingly irrelevant leadership of the TUC, who continue to act as an arbitrator of, rather than a participant of industrial disputes. The heroic struggle of the Spanish Miners provided a militant lesson for the combat of austerity for the peoples of Europe.

Community Unions; more questions than answers

In the 1930s,  at a time of national and global economic meltdown (sounds familiar) the coalition  government cut the benefits of the poor. In those days trade unions were not interested in the unemployed so a militant group – the National Unemployed Workers Movement –  was formed to organise those thrown out of work and  challenge the government. In 2012 as the economy declines – and the rich get richer – once again a coalition government wants the poor to pay for their crisis. Only this time, unlike the 30s,  people are much more isolated and lack the community cohesion that was a part of the fightback that made the NUWM a successful organisation.

As a life long trade unionist and activist I was pleased to see my union, Unite,   a year ago appeared to  address the issue of representing and organising the unemployed, particularly as I too became a victim of the ConDem’s  stripping of services and workers from the public services.

Last year Unite set up its community membership scheme stating

Unite’s mission is to organise people to strive for a society that places equality, dignity and respect above all else. But our union recognises that we can only achieve this if we bring people together from all walks of life.

Even now in the 21st century, too many people in our country are being pushed to the margins of society. They deserve to be heard; they too deserve the support to organise collectively. It is with this in mind that Unite has founded its community membership scheme.

And targeting those;

Unite’s community membership scheme brings together people from across our society.  Those not in employment are welcomed into the union family, adding another dimension to our strength in thousands of workplaces across the UK.

Coming from a trade union family when I was made redundant one of the first things I did was to change my membership to that of an unemployed member. The Greater Manchester Unite Community Union was launched in June last year, but I only heard about it from a journalist friend, not from Unite. Eventually in November I decided to go along to a meeting and find out what is being offered by Unite to the unemployed.

The meeting was not like any Unite meeting I have ever been to, in fact it was similar to many community meetings that I have been involved with over the years. People sat in a circle and there was little in terms of a formal agenda. And it showed one of the major issues for a community union, bringing together two different political cultures; that of trade unions and community organising.

There was a fair representation of people at the meeting, including women, younger people, people on benefits, ex-students, and older people.  Apart from me, there did not appear to be any other unemployed Unite members there. There was a Unite shop steward from a local council, a Unite member working in private industry and a PCS shop steward.  I was puzzled by this because the latter presumably have their own branches to be active in and therefore do not need a community union .There were also two students who said they were going to set up a community union  in their university. Now I know the Unite publicity does mention students, but to me students already have their own organisation, the NUS, to be active in, so why would you want to set up a Community Union branch in a university?

There were a number of people from the local Unemployment centres in Salford and they made some important contributions, including offering access to computers (very important these days for people who want to sign on for benefits or maintain their benefits) and help for those experiencing  problems with their benefits. The issue of benefits is a crucial one for any CU, as far as I am concerned, as those receiving benefits  are being targeted by the Con-Dem government and,  like the 1930s, are suffering  severe cuts in their money.

Information was given out about the changes,  including the new Universal Credit,  and concern was raised about the way it was being trialled at local Benefit Offices .  A man who worked at a solicitors offered to train up members of the CU in welfare rights,  which was a really positive contribution. The question was asked if Unite would pay for this but the answer was no, Unite would only pay for functional skills training.  I was quite shocked by this as Unite is a rich union, and, as many unemployed people are paying their dues,  this would be one way for  the union to   provide a crucial support service to  some of the most vulnerable people in this country. Whilst it is good that one individual offered the training, I know,  having worked with young people and benefits, that the system is complicated and that  it is important to  keep up to date with  all the changes. Welfare rights work is highly skilled, and given the challenges made by the Benefit Service,  it is important that the people who represent claimants are clued up on the system.

The use and mainly abuse of the Work Programme is a big issue for claimants, never mind that it has been shown not to work anyway. One of the people at the meeting was on the WP and wanted support with the way in which people are poorly treated. Another person spoke about the way in which the WP is being used for some firms at Xmas to fill their vacancies.

Throughout the meeting I kept wondering what was the link between the people sat in this room and Unite.  Reference was made to Sheila Coleman,(respected activist from the Hillsborough Justice Campaign)  who in September 2012 was  appointed as the new Community Co-ordinator for the North West for Unite. In the Liverpool Echo she commented;

Across the North West many communities feel like they do not have a voice. Unite community membership is going to help change that. We think it is time that people who do not have a job for whatever reason are now going to have access to the benefits of trade union membership.

What isn’t clear is how this access and benefits of trade union membership can be translated into providing the support that unemployed people need and are Unite prepared to put their money where there rhetoric is.

At the meeting it was inspiring that many of the people did want to get involved in activities ranging from recruiting people to the community union to actions around the cuts and anti-poverty initiatives. But without a base to operate from, and without some resources to fund campaigns it is hard to see how it can happen.  I did try to contact Sheila Coleman to discuss these issues, but I have not had any response.

What came out just at the meeting I attended was the need for an organisation which would stand up for the unemployed, that would publicly challenge the government over their policy on cutting benefits, that would provide the unemployed with the support to challenge individual claims and,  like the NUWM,  offer them the comradeship and sense of solidarity that is the hallmark of a good trade union.

At the meeting a banner was produced for the organisation with Unite’s logo, the name of Gtr Manchester Community Union with the message Fairness, Justice, Respect admirable values for any organisation but the trick is to turn aspirations into reality.  I would welcome responses to this article.

Gtr.Manchester Community Union banner

Still Anarchy in the UK in 2012!

My politics have been influenced by my background, including class, and the era that I grew up in. So trade unions, community and the women’s movement have dictated where I have put my political energies in past years. But in 2012 where would someone like me growing up on a council estate in the north west look for a vibrant political lifestyle? Unfortunately trade unions and the left are not particularly inspiring to me at the moment, never mind to younger people!

Last week I went to the Manchester and Salford Anarchist Bookfair because, just looking at the publicity, it seemed to be offering a way of exploring a different way of life that had some resonances with the lives that younger people lead today.

The bookfair took place at the Peoples History Museum, quite a formal venue, but once inside the main hall I was surprised at the numbers of young people mingling with an older generation of anarchists. Yes, many people were wearing black, but there was an interesting array of stalls displaying books, photos, cartoons, veggie food as well as the more mainstream North West Labour History Society and International Brigade Memorial Trust.

Dave, one of the organisers of the bookfair, told me how it started;

It started 10 years ago and the idea behind it is to show what anarchism is, to get political people together, not to recruit them but to inspire people to do something whether it’s to get involved in some activity from squatting to writing or setting up a website. It’s about being outwardly looking and a space to show people what they can do.

Running alongside the bookfair were a series of talks offering people the chance to find out more about anarchism, and providing a venue for debate. The talks included: an introduction to anarchism, squatting, women and abortion in Ireland, and parenting and anarchism.

There are two main anarchist groups in Manchester; the Anarchist Federation and Solidarity Federation. They reflect different political strains of anarchism; the former describe themselves as “anarchist communists and revolutionary class struggle anarchists”, whilst the latter describe themselves as “ a revolutionary union initiative: a working-class organisation which seeks the abolition of capitalism and the state”.

What does it mean to be an anarchist today? Dave says that just looking around the bookfair it reflects some of the activities that people are involved in and which are relevant to their lives:

For example, there are hundreds of empty houses around Manchester and we can do something about it by squatting and this is a direct action. The idea is one of do it yourself, rather than waiting for someone else to tell you what to do, and this is our response to the issue of homelessness

In the talk An Introduction to Anarchism the speakers explained some of the political roots of anarchism and looked reasons why it continues to be attractive to new activists. Anarchism opposes the state and capitalism, and concentrates on individuals achieving their potential as political and creative beings. Contributions from the audience reflected on the difficulties of working with other mainstream left organisations in movements ranging from Occupy to strikes.

In another talk two members of the Anarchist Federation showed a film called Why Women Travel which they had made to highlight the issue of the lack of abortion in Ireland. In the film Irish women were given the opportunity to explain how difficult and expensive it is to find out about abortion services abroad from Ireland and the obstacles faced in accessing these services. The AF have made the film to encourage people to take part in protests against the lack of abortion in Ireland and also to offer practical support (such as accommodation) to the women once they come to England. Although I think that it is good that people are organising to support a very vulnerable group of women the bigger issue is the unresolved political situation in Ireland.

In the age of the internet it was good to see that the anarchists are still producing paper leaflets and zines and books. One that caught my eye was Footnotes issue four, produced by the Footprint Workers Co-operative in Leeds. They are printers and produce the occasional paper zine, as well as having their own website and Facebook page. They use these to share campaign updates from direct action groups including Corporate Watch who have produced information on the housing crisis and a Nuts and Bolts Guide to Banking and Finance.

Within issue four one of the footprinters, Claire, gives her account of being at Dale Farm when 86 Traveller families were evicted from their land. Although a co-operative, they came out on strike in solidarity with the striking public sector workers as they stated;

Public sector pay, job losses and pension cuts are one major and high profile battleground in the fight against Tories’ frontal attack on public services and the welfare state.

Spending a day at the anarchist bookfair I could see why they attract such a mixture of ages and people. It is a movement that does respond to the creativity that most people have within themselves. It does offer a more direct solution to some of the problems that young people face including homelessness, low pay and isolation. And at a time when more traditional organisations such as trade unions and the left are struggling to cope with the Con-Dem attacks it seems that the anarchists, to use an old adage, understand that the personal is political.

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