Saturday 20 August 2016 marked the 40th anniversary of the day when Jayaben Desai walked out of the Grunwick photo-developing company in London, igniting a strike which drew support from thousands. GRAHAM TAYLOR remembers the woman whose dignity in dispute recalled the ethical traditions of the ILP. For Jayaben Desai, the Grunwick strike was about...
Corbyn: Labour’s Accidental Leader
IAN BULLOCK’s recurring nightmare is that the Labour Party will end up like the ILP at the end of the 1930s – with a leader who could do no wrong in the eyes of an adoring membership, but with little or no political influence, let alone power. ‘At least Jimmy Maxton was a brilliant...
Unbalanced Britain: Housing in Crisis
Unbalanced Britain: Housing in Crisis, by Quintin Bradley, Simon Jose, Ellen Robottom and Barry Winter, is a 20-page A5 pamphlet that brings together contributions from three of the main speakers at the ILP’s Unbalanced Britain seminar on the housing crisis held in Leeds in March 2016. A report of that conference is available here...
Brexit: Do we Need a New Consensus?
DAVE BERRY discusses his experiences of the referendum campaign and calls for left-wing reform of the European Union. The referendum has been a painful experience for me and, like many others, I feel disconnected from politics. As an ex-shop steward and councillor I really miss being the representative of people rather than just an individual...
Labour in Crisis: A Statement from the ILP
The Labour Party is in mortal danger and the post-referendum crisis that now engulfs it genuinely threatens its very existence as a viable force in British politics....
ILP Lapel Badges
ILP enamel lapel badge Featuring the unique ‘S’ logo used by the Independent Labour Party in the early years of the 20th century. Red and gold design. 2cm in diameter. £4.00 including p&p....
EU: Why the left should vote Leave
Comment posted by Ernie Jacques (15 June 2016): LABOUR – KING CANUTE PARTY So the Labour establishment wants to build a fair, democratic and inclusive European Union. Well, good luck with that one! But in truth they have about as much chance of democratizing the European Union and reforming its overarching corruption and neoliberal...
Ada Salter and the Origins of Ethical Socialism
In writing his lauded biography of ILPer Ada Salter, GRAHAM TAYLOR began to wonder about the ILP’s ethical socialism. In a recent lecture to the Socialist History Society, he traced the history of those ideas and values which the Salters epitomised through their lives in south east London. I must start with a confession. When...
The ILP and the Spanish Civil War
Even after 80 years the role of the ILP in the Spanish Civil War is still a controversial topic. Its role was minor, says CHRISTOPHER HALL, but the contribution and sacrifice of ILP volunteers deserves to be remembered. George Orwell’s ‘Homage to Catalonia’ is still the most famous and most read book about the Spanish...
Labour’s Nuclear Question
Can Labour find a way to bridge its divisions over Trident? Or will a policy to scrap the nuclear warheads strike a final nail into the party’s electoral coffin? BARRY WINTER calls for a national debate and a Labour-led referendum on the issue....
How the Co-op Lost its Purpose
Without its history, its politics and its connection to the wider movement, the Co-operative Group is just like any other supermarket chain, says STEVE THOMPSON....
Soldiers for Spain
Volunteers who fought in the Spanish civil war were political soldiers striking a blow against oppression across the continent, according to BOB HARRISON....