"...His stated belief that that unions and politics should be separated.." Which is more or less the current view of Graham at Unite.
As a socialist in the seventies and eighties I never doubted that the Intelligence services not only influenced but actually ran many of the sects and were responsible for the divisive ultra sectarianism that ensured that most of the 'left' spent the bulk of their time and energy fighting each other.
One of the problems is secrecy-if there are no secrets they cannot be sold or betrayed.
The socialist movement needs to rediscover the virtues of open and direct democracy- something which will begin with a refusal to abide by state rules governing strikes, strike votes and sympathy/solidarity actions. Unions like the South Wales miners' were built by syndicalists. Not accidentally there was a nationalist flavour to their disdain for the bosses- something similar was found in thge also very militant Scots miners union. In fact the Yokshire and Durham miners, too celebrated their uniqueness (as did the small Kent Union generally built on migrants from older fields).
What we are talking about is hegemony-the need for the working class to build its own institutions, run its own affairs (municipally Hello Liverpool!) and insist that it is a nation quite separate from that of the ruling class. The ruling class knows this and acts accordingly. That is why Kier Starmer was welcomed to a Public School.
There is much to be said for identity politics when it is combined with class consciousness.
"...His stated belief that that unions and politics should be separated.." Which is more or less the current view of Graham at Unite.
As a socialist in the seventies and eighties I never doubted that the Intelligence services not only influenced but actually ran many of the sects and were responsible for the divisive ultra sectarianism that ensured that most of the 'left' spent the bulk of their time and energy fighting each other.
One of the problems is secrecy-if there are no secrets they cannot be sold or betrayed.
The socialist movement needs to rediscover the virtues of open and direct democracy- something which will begin with a refusal to abide by state rules governing strikes, strike votes and sympathy/solidarity actions. Unions like the South Wales miners' were built by syndicalists. Not accidentally there was a nationalist flavour to their disdain for the bosses- something similar was found in thge also very militant Scots miners union. In fact the Yokshire and Durham miners, too celebrated their uniqueness (as did the small Kent Union generally built on migrants from older fields).
What we are talking about is hegemony-the need for the working class to build its own institutions, run its own affairs (municipally Hello Liverpool!) and insist that it is a nation quite separate from that of the ruling class. The ruling class knows this and acts accordingly. That is why Kier Starmer was welcomed to a Public School.
There is much to be said for identity politics when it is combined with class consciousness.
Haven't rad it yet but that is NEW Democratic not National in Canada. Typo worth correcting.
It may have been Henri Simon (ICO) in 'Poland 1980-82' who mentioned
that the UK imported coal from Poland during the early 1980's strike...
Lobster: the british gladio and the murder of sergeant speed is a fascinating tale re: security services involvement in 1984 strike