Sunday 6 September 2015

JC, Elvis and Clive

I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to getting around to going to the Burston School Strike Rally but this year I finally managed it.

For the uninitiated the Burston School Strike was the longest strike in British history and it took place in Norfolk. You can read about it here and here.

Clive Lewis MP

In September every year a rally is held to commemorate the event and guest speakers from the labour movement turn up to 'entertain' the comrades. Tony Benn often spoke there. This year though it was Jeremy Corbyn who was the main speaker and of course he'd drawn quite a crowd. Introduced enthusiastically by my MP Clive Lewis. I still can't get over the novelty of electing an MP. Jeremy spoke in similar vein to his speech in Norwich; inclusive and emphasising the need to listen to party members and involve as many as possible in policy making; you know that alien concept called democracy. But for democracy to work there has to be mass involvement. If it's left to a few it won't work.

Jeremy Corbyn MP

The poet Elvis McGonagall had the unenviable task of following on from Jeremy's speech. Unenviable as many left as he came on, which was a pity because he was very good. I listened to his set and enjoyed it muchly.

Elvis McGonagall non-MP


And, the sun shone as well.

Saturday 5 September 2015

Welcome

#compassion
Friends lovers mothers fathers sisters brothers daughters sons grandparents cousins nieces nephews aunts uncles wives husbands just because we are victims of geography doesn't make us different. We are all human we are all connected we all bleed. To be civilised is to be compassionate to be civilised is to offer our brethren shelter from the storm to be civilised is to welcome.

on a wall in Amsterdam