Author Archives: lipstick socialist

About lipstick socialist

I am an activist and writer. My interests include women, class, culture and history. From an Irish in Britain background I am a republican and socialist. All my life I have been involved in community and trade union politics and I believe it is only through grass roots politics that we will get a better society. This is reflected in my writing, in my book Northern ReSisters Conversations with Radical Women and my involvement in the Mary Quaile Club. .If you want to contact me please use my gmail which is lipsticksocialist636

History of the Irish in Britain Representation Group by Patrick Reynolds. Part 4: 1984. Regrouping and Rebuilding.

Posted on June 29, 2020

Patrick Reynolds was one of the founders of IBRG and played a key role in its history. He is now writing up that history and putting it into the context of radical history in Britain and Ireland in the C20th. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

My review of “Never Counted Out! The story of Len Johnson Manchester’s Black Boxing Hero and Communist” by Michael Herbert

Posted on June 19, 2020

When my parents moved to Clayton, a working class suburb of Manchester in 1963, it was a large sprawling council estate surrounded by engineering and manufacturing factories and dominated by two busy main roads, Ashton New and Ashton Old Roads. … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, education, human rights, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, Socialism, trade unions, Uncategorized, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

History of the Irish in Britain Representation Group by Patrick Reynolds. Part 3: 1983

Posted on June 15, 2020

Patrick Reynolds was one of the founders of IBRG and played a key role in its history. He is now writing up that history and putting it into the context of radical history in Britain and Ireland in the C20th. … Continue reading →

Posted in education, feminism, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, North of Ireland, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

My review of “A Collective Bargain. Unions, Organizing, and the Fight for Democracy” Jane McAlevey

Posted on June 9, 2020

  What do you want to do ? New mailCopy There are three reasons why I like this book. One; it’s written by an activist. There are too many books being published by people who want to preach about what … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , | 3 Comments

History of the Irish in Britain Representation Group by Patrick Reynolds. Part 2: 1982

Posted on June 1, 2020

Patrick Reynolds was one of the founders of IBRG and played a key role in its history. He is now writing up that history and putting it into the context of radical history in Britain and Ireland in the C20th. … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholicism, Communism, education, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, North of Ireland, political women, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My review of “Just Like Tomorrow” (2004) by Faiza Guene

Posted on May 27, 2020

  What do you want to do ? New mailCopy It is hard to imagine a working class female migrant from the deprived areas of Clayton (Manchester), Glodwick  (Oldham ) or Hyde (Tameside) being offered a book contract. Faiza is … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, drama, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, novels, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

History of the Irish in Britain Representation Group by Patrick Reynolds. Part 1:1981

Posted on May 22, 2020

Patrick Reynolds was one of the founders of IBRG and played a key role in its history. He is now writing up that history and putting it into the context of radical history in Britain and Ireland in the C20th. … Continue reading →

Posted in education, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, North of Ireland, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“Anti-Nazi Germans” “Enemies of the Nazi State from within the Working Class Movement.” by Marilyn Moos “German Volunteers in the French Resistance” by Steve Cushion. (2020)

Posted on May 6, 2020

  What do you want to do ? New mailCopy This review is written by Mike Luft, lifelong anti-fascist and communist.   ‘Not by beatings, nor by hanging can you Be brought to the point of saying Nowadays twice two … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, education, human rights, labour history, Socialism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My review of “Joan Maynard Passionate Socialist” Kristine Mason O’Connor (2003)

Posted on April 29, 2020

What do you want to do ? New mailCopy Joan Maynard (1921-1998) lived her life through her politics. In the course of  her  76 years she was a parish councillor, a rural district councillor, a county councillor, a Justice of … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, biography, book review, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, North of Ireland, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

My review of “They Divided the Sky” A Novel by Christa Wolf. (2013)

Posted on April 18, 2020

What do you want to do ? New mailCopy Christa Wolf (1929-2011) was an East German (GDR) novelist. Born into the Nazi era,  like many of her generation (in the east and the west) she embraced socialism after the war … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, education, human rights, novels, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment