Keir Starmer was at the Wapping mass pickets in 1986. Today he writes for The S*n
In the mid-1980s Keir Starmer was one of those involved in producing a small circulation magazine called Socialist Alternatives. I was active on the left then (& still am) but I don’t recall it. At this distance opinions seem to vary as to what the precise political character of the magazine was. Red/Green might cover it, although some of those involved were orthodox Trotskyists and the controlling spirit was that of Michael Raptis, also known as Pablo.
I suspect the numbers who care about this, beyond historians of the left, is very small indeed. More will be interested in Wapping one of the totemic disputes of the post-1945 era, where Rupert Murdoch busted out the print unions from the Sun and Times. The print unions from the perspective of 2021 were not entirely marvellous but they were well organised and hugely better than anything Murdoch had in mind.
I was often at the Wapping picket line on Saturday nights in 1986, as it seems was Keir Starmer. Who knows we may have met, either at the picket or in the nearby Artful Dodger pub where people stopped for a beer.
Keir Starmer as Labour leader has written a piece in the Sun today, despite saying he would never do such a thing during the 2020 leadership contest and using a video of himself at Wapping as part of his leadership campaign.
After Wapping Starmer went on to defend the McLibel Two (who I also knew and know well) so perhaps the next step is an appearance in a McDonalds advert.
Whatever, red lines have been crossed here..
Keir Starmer, Socialist Alternatives July/August 1986
Trade Unions in a Wapping World
The struggle for workers control means.. effective defense of the unions, supporting national and local pickets and a principled advocacy of solidarity action
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