Events

RADICAL LEWES - LEWES TUC FESTIVAL JUNE 2008

The Radical Lewes Festival was a string of four events run by Lewes Trades Union Council here in Lewes, England during the month of June 2008. Our objective was to prove that the old fashion ideals of the socialist and trades union movement can still have a receptive audience. We were not disappointed. As the photographs illustrate, all the events were well attended and the feedback has been unfailingly positive. We tried to avoid stale political meetings that would attract only "the usual suspects". The Radical Lewes Festival was a string of four events run by Lewes Trades Union Council here in Lewes, England during the month of June 2008. Our objective was to prove that the old fashion ideals of the socialist and trades union movement can still have a receptive audience. We were not disappointed. As the photographs illustrate, all the events were well attended and the feedback has been unfailingly positive. We tried to avoid stale political meetings that would attract only "the usual suspects".

I confess to feeling fairly nervous about the first event of the festival. This was a tribute to Woody Guthrie in words and music - with the emphasis on the political ideals that drove him. The speaker and performer was Dr Will Kaufman of the University of Central Lancashire. Kaufman is an American living and working in the UK and a leading expert on Guthrie. He is also an outstanding singer and instrumentalist. The evening was a resounding success and the festival was up and running.


Next up was a celebration of the life and politics of Robert Tressell, author of the "Ragged Trousered Philanthropists" - possibly the finest socialist novel written in the English language. The meeting was held in a fine old building in the town that was reputedly used by Cromwell to hold a provisional parliament during the English Civil War. Our main speaker was John McDonnell, the parliamentarian who challenged Gordon Brown for the leadership of the Labour Party. It was obvious from the contributions from the audience that there is little expectation that Prime Minister Brown can win the next election.

The biggest event of the festival happened on the following Saturday. The Trades Council teamed up with the International Brigade Memorial Trust to mark the 70th anniversary of Negrin`s speech to the League of Nations announcing the withdrawal of International Battalions from Spain - paving the way for the dictatorship of Franco and giving the green light to Hitler`s expansionist policy in Europe. The guest of honour was Jack Jones, former union leader and fighter in the British Battalion. I hope I am as sparky when I’m 95.

The final event was an anti - fascist rock concert mounted in conjunction with Love Music Hate Racism. Nearly 100 people turned out on a Tuesday night for a superb evening of hip hop and rock. I felt a little guilty that fighting racism should be that much fun.

And suddenly it was all over. That was that. It was a lot of hard work over an 8 month timespan. A lot of people gave up a lot of time. It would be impossible to thank every individual who contributed their time and effort.But hats off to Tom Wilson at the Trades Union Congress in London and to Laurie Hesleden of the South East Region of the TUC. As to the rest of you ... you know who you are. And I owe you all more beers than I will ever be able to afford.

Should other union or political groups try to do something similar? Not an easy question to answer. It can be achieved with comparatively few people if those people are committed. Union branches, if approached are usually generous with funding. The TUC is also tremendously helpful in many ways, including financially. But be under no illusion. A festival such as this takes a long time to organize. And it is hard work. But it is worthwhile if you can do it. Good luck.

Bill Ball


REVIEWS

John McDonnell MP/Tony Benn, Friday 19th January 2007

The Case for a Socialist Labour Government

I have just returned from a day campaigning in Brighton and Lewes with a series of meetings with 6th Form Students, University students at Sussex University, council trade unions representatives, FBU members at Brighton Fire Station, POA members at Lewes and the local branch of MIND. The day culminated in a public meeting with Tony Benn in the evening in support of my campaign with 400 people in attendance. In contrast Gordon Brown has flown to India for a soundbite associating himself with...
John McDonnell's Blog


Standing Room only at Lewes John4Leader Meeting. Over 400 in Town Hall applauded John McDonnell MP in his bid for Leadership of the Labour Party.
Congratulations to Lewes Trades Council and Lewes Labour Party for organising this meeting, Congratulations to all those who came out on a cold, wet, windy night and clearly said they wanted an alternative to Gordon Brown as Leader of the Labour Party.
David Motley, chair of Lewes Trades Council opened the meeting. He explained that Lewes and District Trades Council was the only organisation of its kind in Sussex, its origins going back to the 1920s. It was a small organisation but an ambitious one, always looking for more Trade Union affiliates and delegates. It aimed to be strong enough to be listened. As well as introducing Tony Benn and John McDonnell MP, he asked Tony Benn to make a presentation to Cyril Claydon, NUJ, a former Chair of the Trades Council who recently resigned from the Trades Council at the age of 86.
Tony Benn gave an excellent speech in favour of John4Leader. He claimed that the Labour Party Conference was the only Conference he knew of where delegates are searched when going into conference to make sure that they had no Socialist literature on their persons. Our aim in John4Leader is to re-build a Labour Party which debates and campaigns on Socialist policies.
John McDonnell outlined his manifesto which can be accessed on http://www.john4leader.org.uk. He spoke of the gave evils of privatisation and suggested a hypothetical example of a Probation Officer working for Group 4 having to give evidence in Court on behalf of a client who, if sentenced to prison, could be sent to a prison owned by the Probation Officer’s employers – Group4. John received and long and well deserved ovation.
There was a lively question and answer session, The main points of disagreement were over the necessity of people joining the Labour Party and fighting for socialist policies within the Labour Party. John4Leader is one of the few organisations which represent people who have left the Labour Party in droves over Iraq, privatisation, the sell off of council housing and the refusal of open honest debate within the Party.
The final speaker was Andy Erlam who quoted Steve Biko: The Greatest Power in the minds of the Oppressor is what is in the minds of the Oppressed”. The Lewes meeting proved that we who believe in Socialism are gaining in strength and gaining in confidence in our ideas.
Rachael Webb 01273 673399 Secretary 1/888 Branch TandG and Delegate to Brighton Kemptown CLP

Sincere thanks to you, Bill, and Dave and other memers of the Trades Council for the public tribute paid to me at the meeting with Tony Benn and John McDonnell. I was also very pleased with the encouraging words from Tony, who has a gift of making people feel at ease.
Thanks also to the TC for organising such a splendid well attended meeting. the meeting was marvellous and show there is quite a lot of support for Left policies in Lewes district. I hope you will be able to follow this up by gaining more attendance at the TC meetings.
Cyril Claydon