| Description | Track 1: A man, possibly Mr Grove, talks about disagreements between different trade unions, Communist involvement and influence of political developments in Russia, speaker talks about his Communist leanings
Tracks 2-5: A man talks about his experiences during the General Strike as a member of the Labour Council in Bethnal Green and Chairman of Bethnal Green Trades Council, feeling of betrayal by trade union leaders who were usually not members of Independent Labour Party, understood little of socialism and were reactionary from socialist point of view, talks about working in Sheffield with George Fletcher, with unemployed and working with miners in South Yorkshire and North Wales, and with tailors in London, discusses life as trade unionist and politician, gives his views about what the General Strike would achieve for workers, speaker imprisoned in Wakefield jail for refusing to declare that he would not longer speak in parks of Sheffield as socialist, talks about socialist beliefs as only hope for the future, but weak leaders forced people like him into the Communist party, doesn't feel there has been much progress
Tracks 6-8: men talk about discussion of activities of Unemployed Workers Movement in Liverpool, assaults by police, many of whom had been scabs during 1919 police strike, activities of (Bob) Tissiman, one of leaders, other demonstrations and incidents of unrest in Liverpool during the 1920s and 1930s, views about General Strike and its timing, feelings about the end of the strike, speakers talk about their background in the Independent Labour Party before First World War, political climate after war, high numbers of unemployed in Liverpool, reluctance of Trades Council to co-operate with Unemployed Workers Movement because it was dominated by Communist Party, views of working class movement now and political parties
Tracks 9-10: Bethnal Green councillor talks about state of working class movement now and the state of Labour Party in 1960s, talks about his experiences in trade union movement and local political scene, sees calling off of General Strike as simple betrayal, interviewer asks about political songs, chants and slogans, speaker says that heckling at meetings seen as a good thing, ruling classes try to suggest that British people don't strike in contrast with Russia, trade union and Labour leadership assimilated into middle class and strike made to look ridiculous, propaganda meetings at street corners to put socialists point of view on topics, lots of people congregated, not just preaching to the converted, people congregated at Sheffield monolith and Leeds Town Hall steps, Tory speakers scared of socialist hecklers and tried to bribe them
Total: 68.19 mins
Dubber's reference number: PLA KF573E0688880 |