Kmflett's Blog

*Of course its not really Allister Heath (although telling the difference is not easy) its a random headline generator produced by the New Age site

Welfare & Warfare, a Social Democratic View. The 1970 Labour Manifesto

Defence Secretary John Healey has resigned, claiming Starmer’s increases in defence spending are insufficient. It may of course be a play in a future Labour leadership election. Secondly while defending the UK from attack, as likely from the US as Russia in the current moment it might be thought, is appropriate, expenditure on global warmongering is not. Surely Britian was meant to have learnt that lesson in the 1960s. The pressure for more defence spending and less welfare comes from the political hard right and from defence industry lobbyists (often former senior armed forces figures)

The extracts below are from the June 1970 Labour Election Manifesto. Labour lost to the Tories but the two extracts strike what might be considered a social democratic balance between welfare and warfare.

Certainly from the formation of NATO Labour was (and still is) committed to warfare- that is defence spending. During the Cold War defence was seen by the Labour right as a key issue but there was a quid pro quo. What was being defended and why? It was a country that looked after the sick and aged in a ‘compassionate’ welfare system.

The 1970 Manifesto arguably leaned a little to the left and the left position of welfare not warfare can be seen. It didn’t mean ignoring defence spending, but it was focused on decent public services and welfare provision.

The current Government seems set to try and diverge from both the classic positions of the Labour right and left. Considerable increases on defence spending are proposed at the same as considerable cuts in welfare spending.

The result may over a period of time (perhaps not immediately in each case) leave considerable numbers in poverty. It’s not a recognisable social-democratic position based in the historical context of Labour policy

1970 Labour Manifesto

We must make a rising standard of provision for those who, on account of age, sickness or other circumstances, are unable to provide for themselves. A compassionate society is one that does not grudge help for those in need

in the world as it is today, Britain must maintain her defences and her firm commitment to NATO. It is true – and it is a truly Socialist shift in priorities – that we now spend more on education than on defence, and that in the near future the health and welfare service expenditure will also exceed defence spending. Yet, because of our shrewd and sensible reduction in commitments, with Labour, the armed forces are better paid, better equipped and more effective in NATO than ever before. More than that, in contrast to the hundreds of millions of pounds wasted on costly prestige projects under the Tories, Labour’s defence planning gives the taxpayer value for money.

1970 Labour Party Manifesto –

In Brighton, June 2026. From beer & a tribute to Dark Star brewer Rob Jones  to a publicly owned train service

I’ve been a regular visitor to Brighton for the best part of fifty years. Usually either politics or pubs were involved and sometimes both. On one occasion being the organiser of a coachload of protesters from North London, on the arrival the police served me with a notice underlining that if I had not left Brighton by sunset I’d be arrested. Surveillance techniques were not then what they are now, so I didn’t leave by sunset and I wasn’t arrested.

I’ve been in Brighton again over the last few days, and while politics and beer were in the mix, I was attending my Union’s national conference at the Brighton Centre on the seafront.

Long a conference venue, indeed I was there for the TUC on September 11^th 2001 when Tony Blair made a brief appearance and then returned to London as the dreadful events of the Twin Towers played out.

Despite what might be thought Union Conferences are primarily about the conference business and the scope for things like beer is limited and often in a context where you need to be with colleagues who may have limited or no interest in beer.

Even so beer there was. I stopped off at the Evening Star (Surrey St by the station) the original Dark Star pub, and raised a glass to Rob Jones, who died very recently, and brewed the beers in the pubs cellar

Rob Jones, Dark Star Brewery founder, dies

There were no Dark Star beers available, although there was a Downlands tribute APA. I had a glass of Iron Pier 1940s style Burton Ale.

My hotel was on the sea front, Queens Hotel, Kings Rd, and unusually for a hotel bar it had a drinkable beer on a 4.8% Meantime pale at a reasonable (for residents) £5.58 a pint.

Literally adjacent was the Star pub (formerly Dr Brightons) which specialised in selling local beers from Beak and UnBarred. A 4.5%  Beak pale was £6.80 a pint.

I expected even with the constraints of my main focus, attending the conference, to find decent beer in Brighton. The prices were a little surprising in such a tourist focused area. That is to say not £10 a pint but quite reasonable.

I returned home on a GBR publicly owned train service, the first I had travelled on for over 30 years. It was on time but the wifi didn’t work. Far from all was great about British Rail but at least public money wasn’t being siphoned off into the pockets of privateering shareholders. The trains btw are still leased. Thanks to all those who pointed that out.

The 2026 Men’s football World Cup is underway with most matches in the USA and some in Canada and Mexico

Recent World Cups held in countries with authoritarian regimes such as Qatar and Russia have engaged in sports washing. Using the occasion to promote a more positive perspective of their country.

Not it seems for King Donald Trump who eschews sports washing. Even before the tournament started a leading referee was held for eleven hours and then deported to Somalia. Teams from countries which Trump doesnt like have been subject to intensive searches and restrictions on support staff.

What will happen if the far right gang ICE is deployed at stadiums remains to be seen

Fortunately there is a new book by Jules Boycoff, introduced by Dave Zirin, that looks at the business of the World Cup, |FIFA and how it stacks up politically.

from @privateeyenews.bsky.social

Humour but not funny ha ha. See Trevor Griffiths, The Comedians

England cricket captain Ben Stokes has been dropped from the England team for the second Test against New Zealand at the Oval. He had been drinking at a night club in the early hours of Monday morning after England’s victory in the Lords Test on Sunday. There was an altercation with a Saracen rugby player which left an ECB security man needing stitches. Stokes was not involved it seems.

However Stones along with England cricket bosses Brendan McCullum and Roby Key had been key to developing a new culture for England Men’s cricket after the winter’s Ashes debacle. This included a midnight curfew.

As Michael Atherton notes in The Times (10th June 2026) if Stokes was just a team player this would be a minor issue. As Captain its different.

There are wider issues. Firstly surely Key and McCullum should also be sanctioned. Secondly the drinking culture of England’s men’s cricket is both tied up with the history and culture of the game but in 2026 with numbers of players for various reasons not drinking its hardly creating an inclusive team spirit.

Finally as Atherton points out four years is about the limit for England men’s cricket captains. Is it closing times for Stokes, and if so who might replace him…

Of course more could always be said but this Times letter (10th June 2026) has the attributes of a Fletter. Brief and to the point..

Elon Musk, Rupert Lowe, Stephen Yaxley Lennon, Nigel Farage and others are inciting disorder on-line. One result has been a racist pogrom in Belfast. Speaking out against and standing up to racism is urgent