I was sorry to read of the death at 82 of Lord Triesman. A lifelong Spurs fan he was General Secretary of the Association of University Teachers, General Secretary of the Labour Party and joined Tony Blair’s New Labour Government as Peer in 2004. He also for a period headed up the Football Association
His earlier political activity had suggested a rather different political perspective. Below is the conclusion to an article he wrote in New Left Review (1/53, January-February 1969) about the need to set up student Red Bases drawing on the experience of Essex University. His early promise was not fulfilled in quite this way
Seen as an essential step in fulfilling the tasks of revolutionary students, the duties of Marxists becomes clear. They are:
1. Create red bases.
2. Make it clear to the workers why we are doing so.
3. Hold them for as long as possible in order to reap their full benefit: practical awareness, militant hardness, theoretical insight, fighting courage, and sufficient humility to relinquish any vanguard role to the workers.
Kmflett's Blog 
Leave a comment