I recall Bob Crow's speech to last
year's Durham Miners' Gala.
He demanded that the unions create a
new, and achingly left-wing, party, causing even the very Hard Left Davey
Hopper of the Durham Miners' Association to remark, "Thank you, Bob, for
that moderate contribution."
But he was effective: look at the
pay settlements.
Also, look at the reflagging of much of the Merchant Navy as British ships, a policy now adopted by the Australian Labor Party.
Also, look at the reflagging of much of the Merchant Navy as British ships, a policy now adopted by the Australian Labor Party.
His domestic arrangements embodied the truth that public provision was intended to be precisely that, and not purely "a safety net for the poor".
By his insistence, if he ever even thought about it, that his members were worth as much as any university graduate, he in fact upheld the correct understanding that academic education was an end in itself, and was in itself a public good.
An atheist, he used what turned out to be his last Question Time appearence to insist that the Catholic Church needed no lectures on child abuse from the BBC.
He set up No2EU, which was given the honour of a media blackout. "The Durham miners would never wear it," was Herbert Morrison's dismissal of the plan for what was always intended to become the EU, and the only intellectually serious arguments against it have always come from the Left. But they are not allowed on television; on that same Question Time, Bob Crow stunned David Dimbleby by daring to mention them.
Now, on to the defeat of staffless stations and driverless trains.
On to the renationalisation of the railways.
Join your union.
By his insistence, if he ever even thought about it, that his members were worth as much as any university graduate, he in fact upheld the correct understanding that academic education was an end in itself, and was in itself a public good.
An atheist, he used what turned out to be his last Question Time appearence to insist that the Catholic Church needed no lectures on child abuse from the BBC.
He set up No2EU, which was given the honour of a media blackout. "The Durham miners would never wear it," was Herbert Morrison's dismissal of the plan for what was always intended to become the EU, and the only intellectually serious arguments against it have always come from the Left. But they are not allowed on television; on that same Question Time, Bob Crow stunned David Dimbleby by daring to mention them.
Now, on to the defeat of staffless stations and driverless trains.
On to the renationalisation of the railways.
Join your union.
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