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From The Socialist newspaper, 8 November 2017
The Socialist inbox
The Socialist inbox: letters to the editors, image Suzanne Beishon (Click to enlarge)
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The expulsion of the Militant editorial board began a widespread purge of socialists from Labour, photo Militant (Click to enlarge)
Militant erased
As Stalin consolidated his power he rewrote history and erased Trotsky from photographic records of the revolution. 100 years after the 1917 revolution, it seems Andy Beckett, in his Guardian article 'Abbott, Corbyn, McDonnell: the wilderness years', attempts a literary equivalent.
In his recording of the events of the late 1970s and 1980s he erases from the record the role of Militant (now the Socialist Party) in the poll tax, the struggle of Liverpool City Council; or any mention of Terry Fields MP who was imprisoned for non-payment of the poll tax, Dave Nellist MP or Pat Wall MP; or Kinnock's initiating of the witch hunt against Militant.
Militant was central in these and other struggles in the Labour Party at that time. Even if you are opposed to the ideas defended by Militant, surely trying to artificially erase it from the history books is not quality journalism.
Tony Saunois, Labour Party national executive committee 1979-81
- This letter was also sent to the Guardian
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In The Socialist 8 November 2017:
What we think
'Paradise' for billionaires - austerity for us
Socialist Party news and analysis
Westminster sexual harassment scandal
Walk out against tuition fees!
Bosses say 217 years to close pay gap - workers' struggle can close it now!
Child poverty set to hit 5.2m - unions and Corbyn must act now
Workplace news and analysis
Pay cap decisively rejected by PCS union members
BA mixed-fleet workers show strikes get results
Unite union sector conferences: coordinate action over pay
Picturehouse strike: "evil corporations are evil"
International socialist news and analysis
US: Minneapolis Socialist chimes with voters
Ireland: rail workers demand share of 'recovery'
Ireland: dangerous ideas for the ruling class
Spain: Madrid rally celebrates October revolution
Sweden: 'Revolution2017' success
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Health campaign discusses strategy to save NHS
Chatsworth neuro-rehab ward still open - unions join the campaign
Housing campaigners ask Corbyn to instruct Labour council regeneration ballots
Thousands march in London for Palestine
Opposition to new academy school being built on Leeds playing fields
Orgreave campaigners' Halloween 'Death of Justice' march
Sheffield trees campaigner sentenced to prison
Brum meeting celebrates centenary of 1917
Socialist readers' comments and reviews
Obituary: Derek Robinson, car workers' leader, 1927-2017
Welsh update of Chekhov an engrossing tale of 1980s class conflict
Obituary: Paul Randall, 1959-2017
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