Kmflett's Blog

Ambridge Socialist

3^rd May

Grey Gables Update: Shah & Stirling still attempting divide & rule. Fight for all jobs

It would appear that Adil Shah and Oliver Stirling noted the strength of the Ambridge Socialist May Day rally and have acted to try address growing anger amongst the Grey Gables workforce over the hotel’s sudden closure. They have offered the existing manager Kathy Perks a job on a new contract to manage the transition to new Grey Gables after she slammed their failure to consult staff. Roy reneged on the attempt to fight for jobs & grovelled to Shah for the job, but it didn’t work as grovelling never really does.

They are also ‘considering’ whether some staff with shorter service such as Tracy might get a better pay off. However Shah has decided that the criteria for such a payment must be performance and not service. More viciousness. They have also decided to offer a free bar to all staff on the final night-Thursday.

Ambridge Socialist Editor Keith Flett said, this is why we have called for Grey Gables to be unionised. Stirling and Shah’s divide and rule strategy must be rejected out of hand. If this is what the campaign so far has made them do, a continued fightback could make them retain ALL staff during the transition period on new contracts with better terms and conditions.

Redundancy and class

Tracy will get little money from statutory redundancy at Grey Gables particularly now Shah has blocked a bonus. There are bills to pay, living expenses and food to buy. Meanwhile Ian and Adam have been reviewing how to spend his redundancy money(and additional bonus) which according to some reports may be towards £30K with a 3 month enhancement on statutory terms. That is not a huge amount but in a low wage economy far from insignificant. They have invested in a pizza oven with Ian looking to set up a street food business.

Brewdog: Free Shares & Profit Sharing doesn’t address key area of concern

Brewdog has announced plans for free shares and profit sharing for employees. Brewdog have now published details:

https://www.brewdog.com/uk/brewdog-blueprint

In essence 750 salaried employees (Brewdog employs 2,200) will receive shares which Brewdog say might be worth £30K a year over 4 years. Its not certain. The shares will initially be held in trust (common in such schemes) and can be sold when Brewdog launches an IPO for whatever value they trade at.

The remaining employees will share profits from the bars they work in. Brewdog says this could amount to £3-5K a year. Such schemes depend a lot on the criteria which determine how they pay out- for example, how is the profit worked out.

Brewdog describe these moves as ‘innovative’. I’m not an expert in the hospitality sector-aside from drinking and eating in it obviously- so that may be right, although Wetherspoons has had an employee share scheme since 1998. They are quite common in the private sector however often (but not always) offered to promote staff loyalty in preference to recognising a union.

It may be that they will help staff retention certainly, although experience suggests that for many the core issues of decent wages and conditions matter a lot more than share handouts and profit sharing which are always uncertain things.

My private sector employer offers free shares on an annual basis and a yearly bonus but trade unions are also recognised. Its understood that while the shares and bonus have their place feeling content at work with an employer that behaves reasonably is more important to many,

Roe v Wade, abortion rights and the long 1968. Not history yet

A leak from a draft decision by the US Supreme Court on abortion rights has indicated that the judges plan to overturn the legal right to abortion across the US which was won in a case known as Roe v Wade in 1972/3.

The Supreme Court has a right-wing majority thanks to Judicial appointments made by Trump. Some right-wing US States have already moved to restrict abortion rights something that has long seized the campaigning of the right and far right.

I still stick firmly to the view of my youth in the 1970s: ‘not the church, not the state, women must decide their fate’. In short it’s not up to old men and all sorts of bigots to tell young women what to do with their bodies.

The 1967 Abortion Act in the UK (not Northern Ireland) was passed in 1967 but implemented in April 1968, 54 years ago. That’s a reminder that the hard campaigning work to legalise abortion was done before 1968. However that year set in train movements including that of women’s liberation that pursued the matter and defended the 1968 Act against quite frequent attempts to roll it back in Parliament.

Richard Vinen’s book The Long 1968 was published on the 50^th anniversary and he is right it was and is still long. The changes which led to that year of revolt and the changes that flowed from it are still live questions not just history.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/03/supreme-court-abortion-law-leak-roe-v-wade

May Day traditions. Not just marches and rallies

May Day is, worldwide, a labour and socialist festival. It has been marked in Britain since the first London May Day demonstrations in the 1890s. As Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger wrote traditions are invented. In the UK at the moment there is an official May Day public holiday held on the first Monday after the actual date, which often sees marches and rallies. We have Michael Foot and the 1974-79 Labour Government to thank for that, although Mrs Thatcher recorded in her papers that she also enjoyed a day off, despite disapproving of its stated purpose.

There is also the tradition which goes back to those original London May Days of workers taking strike action on May Day itself and marching in solidarity. A further tradition, and a much older one, is that of what might be called the ‘Merrie England’ May Day. That is dancing around Maypoles, celebrations of Spring and the lengthening and warmer days to come.

The two different May Day traditions rarely seem to meet in Britain with traditional labour movement events not particularly connected with wider celebrations. Eric Hobsbawm made the point that across Europe this was far from the case.

However there are other traditions as well. William Morris in the early 1890s and particularly the socialist artist Walter Crane, advanced a vision of May Day as one that heralded Spring, in the sense of the birth of a new world of equality and socialist values.

The Chartists also marked May Day, long before it became a labour movement occasion. They did so both with politics and celebration but arguably with a sense of a different and better world closer to William Morris than the early London May Days.

On May Day, so the 6^th May 1849 edition of the Chartist newspaper the Northern Star reported, numbers of Chartists gathered at O’Connorville to mark its second anniversary.

O’Connorville was at Heronsgate in north-west London, a brisk walk from Chorleywood tube or a turning off the M25. It was part of the Chartist Land Scheme. This looked not to overthrow or even reform industrial capitalism but to opt out if it and return to the land and to farm small holdings on a series of Chartist settlements around England.

Chartists were chosen by ballot in a scheme that was popular enough for the Government to avoid over several years from agreeing it was legal. Most of those involved would have been only second generation industrial workers with a memory of rural life.

On that 1849 May Day at O’Connorville celebrations included a dinner, concert and a ball. The school room which was at the centre of the community was decorated with evergreens and large picture of the MP for Nottingham, the Chartist leader Feargus O’Connor.

It was reported that at 2pm 50 persons sat down to a ‘sumptuous dinner of ‘Old English fare’. Toasts at the dinner included one to ‘The People..may they soon be the source of all power’. Singing and dancing went on past midnight. The report concluded with the hope that the Land Scheme will lead to an ‘enlightened body of British Yeoman’, a reference to the Yeomanry who cut down protesters at Peterloo.

Over 40 years before the start of the London May Day the tying together of politics and celebration  focused on a desire to opt out of market capitalism. In 2022 its an idea that may have a renewed currency.

The Chartist houses at Heronsgate remain, as luxury villas, as does the pub opposite, The Land of Liberty, Peace and Plenty.

Ghost in the Machine: Party to mark New Labour’s 25^th at central London Wetherspoons

The below appears on the Politico site (2^nd May) and while I’m doubtful about using signal source references it is anyway entertaining even if perhaps not entirely accurate (it may not report all who were there for example).

It was held on Sunday in a Wetherspoons in Chancery Lane, which is normally closed at weekends (the area is very quiet at that time). There is an irony in Tim Martin hosting such an event but at least David Miliband who apparently picked up the bar bill won’t have been much out of pocket.

A pub is an odd place to hold an inclusive event in 2022 (not that most pubs don’t welcome all but some have religious, cultural and personal reasons for swerving places that sell alcohol) but it was marking an event 25 years ago when things were perhaps seen differently.

I’m not an expert on the factions of New Labour but it does appear to be the Blairite core (as opposed to Brownites) and some of its more recent successors and enforcers. There are a couple of people who were at one point in some way associated with the left- Byers and Milburn- before they became New Labourised.

Anyway one hopes that at least some of them are at work on their memoirs so future historians can ponder what it was they thought they were doing and what the actual results were.

Thanks to H for alerting me to this on social media.

SPOTTED: At Labour’s 25 Years since 1997 celebrations at the Knight Templar Pub on Chancery Lane last night … Speeches by Peter Mandelson … Cherie Blair and Nicky Blair … Nicky read Tony’s message “we knew how to have fun” … Mandy hailed “the best team that ever came together for politics” and chanted: “Viva New Labour” … Pat and Marianna McFadden were first on the dance floor to “Things Can Only Get Better” … Closely followed by Roy and Alicia Kennedy … Stella Creasy and Dan Fox … David Evans and Aline Delawa … Stephen Byers … Alan Milburn … Hilary Armstrong … Organizers Jo Gibbons, Julie McAndrew, Adrian McMenamin … Sam White from LOTO … Ex-Labour advisers: Steve Bates, Razi Rahman, Faz Hakim, John Lehal, Iain McNichol, Andy Bagnall, Jo Milligan, Martin Angus, John Watts … David Miliband paid for the drinks … Wes Streeting and Peter Kyle from the Shadow Cabinet … plus Keir Starmer comms chief Matt Doyle fresh from the Blair PPB.

What Margaret Thatcher did on May Day Bank Holidays

The May Day Bank Holiday was introduced by a Labour Government in 1978 to fall on the first Monday after May 1st if it did not itself fall on a Monday.

On May 3rd 1979 the Thatcher Tory Government was elected.

In recent years there have been numerous calls from the right, one presumes mainly from Thatcherites, for the May Day Holiday to be scrapped and for it to be replaced with a Trafalgar Day or even a Thatcher Day in the Autumn.

Fortunately the Thatcher Foundation Archive provides details of what Mrs Thatcher herself did on May Day Bank Holidays:

Monday May 5th 1980 Chequers

1030   Hair

1515   Mr. and Mrs. Wolfson and children arrived for tea

1900   Left for London

Monday May 4th 1981

BANK HOLIDAY

[Chequers]

Lunch with Carol, Mark and DT

1630   Left for No. 10.

Monday May 2 1983

1500   Return to London

Supper in flat + three guests

London Socialist Historians Group

May 2022

A reminder that both seminars are postponed until a future date

Socialist History Seminars Summer 2022

Below are details of London Socialist Historians seminars for the Summer Term 2022.

We have been rather constrained by meeting on Mondays and clashing with Bank Holidays this year. Once again seminars are on Zoom. We had hoped to resume in person seminars and while the IHR is allowing this, arrangements are not I’m afraid yet back to pre-pandemic times. We hope to resume some in person seminars in the Autumn term 2022

You will need to register via the Institute of Historical Research site (free). They will send you joining details and a reminder of the seminar details the day before.

Keith Flett, Convenor

Monday May 16^th 5.30pm Jane McChrystal and Anne Padfield. The Splendid Mrs McCheyne & the East London Federation of Suffragettes.

Register: https://www.history.ac.uk/events/splendid-mrs-mccheyne-and-east-london-federation-suffragettes

Jane McChrystal writes “The Splendid Mrs McCheyne and the East London Federation of Suffragettes” tells the story of an unsung heroine of ELFS who worked tirelessly in the “back room” supporting brave women such as Nellie Cressall and Annie Barnes, whose names have lived on, in their struggles on behalf of the women, men and children of the East End. Sylvia Pankhurst wrote this about her: ” All the ELFS’ members know Mrs McCheyne, for she was one of our first recruits in East London, and has always been one of our hardest workers, having served on the ELFS Social Committees and in many other ways as well as Joint Honorary Secretary in Bromley”.

I first came across her name in the minutes of ELFS’ committee meetings and was struck by how often she attended and, yet, how infrequently she spoke or was mentioned there. Intrigued, I resolved to find out whatever I could about her. In the course of my investigation, I was fortunate to be put in touch with her relative, Anne Padfield, who was able to tell me all about her origins, family and the life she led after ELFS.

Sylvia Pankhurst left behind a record of her years as the leader of ELFS in her collected papers, which proved an invaluable source of background material for “The Splendid Mrs McCheyne”. My own research into the key political and social changes in the late nineteenth century and first half of the twentieth century provides an historical context for Rosaline’s life and work, while an interview with Anne Padfield gives a fascinating insight into the woman her family knew.

Monday May 30^th 5.30pm. Catherine Howe. 1848: London Story

Register: https://www.history.ac.uk/events/london-story-1848

The Ambridge Socialist

1^st May

Celebrating May Day on the Village Green: join a union!

The Ambridge Socialist and Borsetshire Trades Council are holding a May Day rally on the Village Green with theme of ‘join a union’.

2022 has been a tough year so far for workers in Ambridge. Berrow Farm pig unit has made redundancies and may close. Grey Gables has closed and illegally sacked all its workers. Employment opportunities beyond seasonal farm work are limited. Tracy has failed to get a job in Telesales at a kitchen equipment company, although Jazzer, redundant from the pig farm has got one. Tracy has considered working at the non-union minimum wage (at best) chicken factory but so far has swerved it.

Workers in Ambridge need to get organised, unionise and fight back. Otherwise they will continue to be picked off piecemeal by an increasingly ruthless Borsetshire ruling class.

May Day Update: Shah & Stirling attempt divide & rule & fail

It would appear that Adil Shah and Oliver Stirling noted the strength of the Ambridge Socialist May Day rally and have acted to try address growing anger amongst the Grey Gables workforce over the hotel’s sudden closure. They have offered the existing manager Kathy Perks a job on a new contract to manage the transition to a new Grey Gables after she slammed their failure to consult staff. To her credit she refused. They are also ‘considering’ whether some staff with shorter service such as Tracy might get a better pay off. Finally they have decided to offer a free bar to all staff on the final night-Thursday.

Ambridge Socialist Editor Keith Flett said, this why we have called for Grey Gables to be unionised. Stirling and Shah’s divide and rule strategy must be rejected out of hand. If this is what the campaign so far has made them do, a continued fightback could make them retain ALL staff during the transition period on new contracts with better terms and conditions.

Redundancy and class

Tracy will get little money from statutory redundancy at Grey Gables even with an enhanced pay off. There are bills to pay, living expenses and food to buy. Meanwhile Ian and Adam have been reviewing how to spend his redundancy money which according to some reports may be towards £30K with a 3 month enhancement on statutory terms. That is not a huge amount but in a low wage economy far from insignificant. They have invested in a pizza oven with Ian looking to set up a street food business.

Betting the farm

With a divorce settlement between Alice and Chris potentially pending, the issue of the valuation of the farm and its possible split up and sale is being reviewed by Brian. Stella has pointed out Alice’s share could be brought out by other family members. This would be expensive and Brian has sounded out Adam if Ian’s redundancy money might help. It won’t. Firstly because it’s not enough and secondly because Ian has already spent a chunk of what he is due to receive on the pizza oven.

In other news

Clarrie has suffered an injury at cricket practice

27^th anniversary of Labour’s 1997 election victory: New Labour, still poor on history

1^st May was the 27^th anniversary of Labour’s 1997 Election victory. I voted Labour on that day (for the late Bernie Grant) and I doubt there were too many on the left who weren’t pleased that the Tories had suffered a huge defeat. Of course we knew that Blair, whatever his past, was not a man of the left.

Indeed one could hardly miss the New Labour message. History and particularly Labour and labour history was not part of it. Blair was the only Labour leader not to appear at the Durham Miners Gala (Starmer has appeared virtually) despite representing a nearby constituency.

There wasn’t perhaps all that much that was genuinely new about New Labour (if one looks at the history of social democratic parties). However making a peace of sorts with the tabloid press and being friendly to business and its money seemed like a good idea at the time (at least to New Labour). 27 years on the legacies of Murdoch and PFI look less happy.

Labour produced a short video to mark the 25th anniversary fronted up by Blair. Tbh there isn’t much in it that is not at least mildly positive. I think I’ve been in a minority on the left for a long time in arguing that some of the things done in the early (pre-2003) New Labour years were positive.

Blair mentions the minimum wage, improvements in public services and Britain becoming a more tolerant society (his reference to gay equality as opposed to LGBTQ, was a deliberately polemical point tho). He argues that New Labour made a Britain more at ease with itself.

Perhaps but the argument always was, again one that I’ve made for years, is that with two massive Parliamentary majorities in 1997 and 2001 Labour could and should have done more. There was for example modest legislation on employment rights. It should have been more robust but at least unlike from 2010 it pushed things a little in the right direction for working people (its not mentioned in the Blair video).

The impression was that Blair became frustrated that he could not do more, more quickly domestically. Hence in part the 2003 Iraq War. Here dramatic results were achieved quickly and the world is still paying the price for it.

Britain was not a country at ease with itself from 2003 and Blair trashed his own reputation with many, meaning that the record of New Labour which I’ve outlined above was largely forgotten.

That brings us to the 25^th anniversary video. Was it in fact a good idea, keeping in mind how bad New Labour was at history? No one much under 40 now will remember the 1997 victory now. Probably rather more would prefer not to be reminded about Blair again and in particular Iraq.

In Early Socialist Days W S Sanders (who went on to be a Fabian leader) wrote about his time in the early Battersea socialist movement in the 1880s. He mentions the presence of some old Chartists, followers of Bronterre O’Brien who had been active in the 1840s and 1850s and were still promoting his theories. Sanders notes that the new generation regarded them as historical survivors- worthy of respect- but also as people whose ideas and strategies belonged to another age. I suspect some will see the May 1997 victory like that now.

The London May Day demonstration May 1892

ENGELS TO LAURA LAFARGUE

AT LE PERREUX

London, 5 May 1892

My dear Laura, A few lines in a hurry. What was intended as a defeat for us here, has ended in a veritable triumph. We had only two platforms on Sunday, but they were the only ones that drew, both public and press. You will have seen our involuntary caricatures in the Daily Graphic I sent you. Platform No. 14, the international platform, was the great success of the day. By a conspicuous piece of good luck, Roussel of the Bourse du travail was, it seems, sent out of the way of Prudent Dervillers and Argyriades by them and Adolphe Smith and came on our platform, so that we had two Frenchmen, two Russians/ a German, Bernstein, an Austrian, Louise, a Pole, Mendelson and a Jew/ besides la Espanola Mrs C. Graham and the Britishers* The demonstration itself was immense, even compared with the two previous ones, and showed that things are moving here, though they move in that peculiar roundabout way in which the English delight. In the evening we had the Mendelsons, Bernsteins, Tussy and Edward of course, and Bonnier brought Roussel, we were very jolly, had a Maibowle, and fat Roussel was effusively delighted, while Argyriades and Co. owned next morning to him, they had been bored to death in the company where they had, or rather had been, moved (sans calembourg!) I am very anxiously awaiting the Socialiste to learn something about our electoral successes on May 1st in France, the papers you sent me do not contain anything to go by, and surely if we had not secured majorities, we must have got in at least some minorities. cured majorities, we must have got in at least some minorities. Anyhow I am glad the thing passed off quietly everywhere.

 *Edward Aveling, Eleanor Marx-Aveling, William Morris, Thomas Mann, Peter Curran

Engels to Bebel. 7 May 1892

The fact that we had good weather for May Day and you did not, serves you right. You should have been over here and then you’d have been able to see what it looks like when 600,000 people foregather in one place ; it was really tremendous; and an impression like that leaves one in no state to sustain even such criticism as is called for by the deplorable scheming and squabbling before the event, and yet sustain it one must.