Category Archives: Middle East

Kath Grant; Journalist and Trade Unionist

Posted on May 9, 2023 by lipstick socialist

Kath is from a Lancashire radical working-class tradition. Born in Rochdale in 1950,  she spent her first five  years living with her parents and grandfather in “The Mount”,  the Irish area in the centre of the town. Her grandparents were … Continue reading →

Posted in human rights, labour history, Manchester, Middle East, North of Ireland, Northern ReSisters Conversations with Radical Women, political women, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My review of Women Who Blow on Knots by Ece Temelkuran

Posted on September 20, 2017 by lipstick socialist

  Ece Temelkuran is a Turkish journalist and writer. Her books and writings have taken up issues at the heart of the state of Turkey,  exposing human rights abuses against Kurdish people, the Armenian dispute and, closer to home, the … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, feminism, human rights, Middle East, novels, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, Uncategorized, women | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Rojava; the real alternative. My review of “The Alternative Towards a New Progressive Politics” edited by Lisa Nandy MP, Caroline Lucas MP and Chris Bowers; and “Revolution in Rojava” by Michael Knapp, Anja Flach and Ercan Ayboga.

Posted on November 3, 2016 by lipstick socialist

In 1925 the Manchester Irish trade unionist Mary Quaile led a TUC delegation to the new Soviet Union. Mary had spent her life working at a grassroots level with women workers; advocating for women’s involvement in trade unions so that … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, Manchester, Middle East, political women, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Read my weekly roundup of radical arts and politics..Embrace of the Serpent, A Bed of Shards, The Trials of Spring and Backlash Blues

Posted on June 19, 2016 by lipstick socialist

Watch Embrace of the Serpent (Home), a stunning film about the price that indigenous people have paid for colonialism. This time it is the Columbian Amazon and the story of a shaman, Karamakate, who is the last survivor of his … Continue reading →

Posted in drama, education, feminism, films, human rights, Middle East, political women, Salford, Uncategorized, women, working class history | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Read my weekly roundup of radical arts and politics.. Mustang, Dare to be Free,Tom Paine and Will and Anne

Posted on May 29, 2016 by lipstick socialist

  Watch Mustang, a Turkish film that mirrors the deepening crisis of  democracy in that country and its effect on the lives of girls and young women. Five sisters live with their grandmother and, because of one innocent incident at … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, drama, feminism, films, human rights, labour history, Manchester, Middle East, political women, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted on January 4, 2015 by lipstick socialist

Watch…. .Big Eyes (general release)..the real life story of artist Margaret Keane. In the late 50s she fled one husband with her child to pursue her life as an artist only to meet up with William Keane who pretended to … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, art exhibition, drama, education, feminism, films, human rights, labour history, Middle East, music, radio drama, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted on October 19, 2014 by lipstick socialist

Watch… Still the Enemy Within at a very appropriate setting, the Moston Miners. I was involved with the Miners Strike so it brought back some good and not so good memories. It reminded me of going on a delegation to … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, drama, feminism, films, human rights, Ireland, labour history, Manchester, Middle East, Uncategorized, women | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted on August 24, 2014 by lipstick socialist

Watch… Two Days, One Night (Cornerhouse)..another brilliant film from Belgian brothers; the Dardennes. Sandra has just returned to work after being ill with depression only to find that the management have asked the staff to vote for a bonus or … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, Communism, drama, education, films, human rights, labour history, Manchester, Middle East, Palestine, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

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

Posted on August 10, 2014 by lipstick socialist

Watch…The Mill (Channel 4) a series created by left wing writer John Fay and set at Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire charting the rise of radical politics. Not the usual its grim up north programme but a series that has … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, Communism, drama, feminism, human rights, labour history, Manchester, Middle East, music, NHS, Palestine, poetry, political women, Salford, Socialist Feminism, TV drama, Uncategorized, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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

Posted on August 3, 2014 by lipstick socialist

Watch…Finding Vivian Maier (Cornerhouse, Manchester) a fascinating documentary about a woman who was a nanny and a photographer. She didn’t just take photos but made films and recorded her own thoughts on life. The families she worked for and in … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, drama, feminism, films, human rights, Middle East, Palestine, Uncategorized, women, young people | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment