Camping, Glamping & Socialism & Suella Braverman
Those who follow Michael Rosen’s twitter account (@michaelrosenyes) for more than his thoughts on Arsenal may have seen some of the details he occasionally posts about family camping holidays he went on when he was younger. His parents were Communist Party members and clearly the camping, often I think in France, had an element of political austerity about it.
The literature on Communism and the left and camping seems sparse (though I haven’t done an exhaustive search). Raph Samuel mentions going camping as a youth a couple of times in the Lost World of British Communism although he also suggests that Communists were often too busy politically for holidays.
Richard Evans biography of Eric Hobsbawm has him as a student in the 1930s camping and youth hostelling around France as well as Snowdonia and Surrey.
This may have been a generational CP thing. My late father was a CP member but never once suggested going camping. By contrast as a heterodox Trotskyist I found myself camping at the Lutte Ouvriere fete in Paris and in more recent years(more union officer in this case) camping at the annual Tolpuddle Festival. I also on one occasion recall going on an actual camping holiday in a field outside Scarborough. I think we lasted until the tent floated away in the rain and we retreated to self- catering in the town.
It may be taken that even when younger I was at best agnostic about camping. Basic hotels these days are in many places affordable for a few nights stay and you’ll only get wet in the shower.
Of course camping and protest still has its place. I note that many of the XR rebels who protest in central London on occasion camp overnight in South London.
In this respect its concerning to read that Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been on a Safari Glamping holiday in Southern England this week (Times 19th August). No details are available but such holidays often involve staying in Yurts of Glamping Pods. Its rather more upmarket than the historic left camping tradition but it still sounds rather Woke. Perhaps Ms Braverman is a fifth columnist…
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