Category: Uncategorized
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The Labour Files
I’ve watched the four Al Jazeera films exposing the political culture within key parts of the Labour Party (link here). It’s shocking, if not surprising, to see evidence of Watergate-like dirty tricks. It’s equally unsurprising that the issue is passing virtually without comment in the mainstream media, particularly the BBC, because it was an active…
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Don’t Pay UK: A personal view
My nearest and dearest will attest that, since the spring when the warnings started sounding, I’d been ranting about the need for us to use our ultimate weapon against the big energy companies and refuse to pay their exorbitant bills. I’d already informed one of our suppliers, Shell (profits last year $19.3bn, up from $4.8bn…
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Why I’m Not Paying
A couple of months ago, I informed our gas supplier that I didn’t accept their arbitrary decision to increase my Direct Debit by £10 a month. Instead, I reduced it. I was already annoyed at giving money to Shell (I haven’t forgotten Ken Saro-Wiwa), having been saddled with them after our previous “ethical” provider went…
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Remembering Bryant and May
Yesterday, a blue plaque was unveiled (by Anita Dobson, no less!) to honour the women and girls who, in 1888, went on strike at the Bryant and May match factory in Bow. Their place in the history of the labour movement is assured, but I found it an odd event in some ways. I hadn’t…
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Thank you RMT
My uncle, a dock worker and active grassroots trade unionist, once said to me “eventually, people say No”. That was about 30 years ago, but I’ve never forgotten it. We were chatting about the seemingly relentless advance of privatisation and casualisation under a Tory government, not suspecting a forthcoming Labour one would only continue the…
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The Belly of Paris…
…or, ‘Le Ventre de Paris”, a novel by Emile Zola, published in 1873. It’s the third of his 20-volume Rougon-Macquart series, including better known ones like “Germinal” and “La Terre”. I’ve read a few (in English!) and really liked them, but must admit, I’m finding “The Belly of Paris” a bit flabby.. It’s set in…
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Chalet Dreams
Last year, thanks to various twists of good fortune, we bought a holiday chalet in Camber Sands – every Cockney’s dream! It takes us two and a half hours, door-to-door, by public transport from Bethnal Green, to arrive at a very different place. Our chalet is on a very large – and sometimes boisterous –…
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Moses Supposes
Last week, we went to see Straight Line Crazy, a play by David Hare at the Bridge Theatre near Tower Bridge, with that famous actor, Ralph Fiennes. He and the rest of the cast were great and the script was snappy and sassy. So if you just fancy a good night at the theatre, you…
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Conference Season
I’ve just been to a conference. I won’t name it, to protect the innocent, but it felt like returning to a world I’ve never felt entirely comfortable with, but may now be fundamentally changed. The culture of lanyards, PowerPoint presentations and networking puts my teeth on edge. I suppose it’s partly a reminder of school. …
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John Curry: A very belated apology
I vividly remember when John Curry won a gold medal for figure skating at the 1976 Winter Olympics. My memories aren’t of his beautiful, balletic athleticism, but the hostility towards him of my parents, which I, as an 11 year-old, then echoed. At the time – and since – I didn’t really understand it. But…
The View from K92 