A brief account of the changing relationship between the Labour PLP and the grassroots
Yesterday, I made reference to Len Williams, a post-war Labour party General Secretary, with whom a longstanding CLP comrade of mine had contrasted a more recent General Secretary, Peter Watt.
The said longstanding CLP comrade has been in touch to say his mind was playing tricks, and that in fact he meant Bert Williams, a post-war National Agent for the Labour party. This is the only web reference (quick search) I can find to said Bert (scroll down to reference to his membership of the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War). He’s probably not pictured.
This is what my CLP comrade had to say about Bert Williams, and his power relationship with the Parliamentary Labour Party:
I did know the ‘armless’ [Bert] Williams.
Back in the late fifties, in my Midlands sojourn, I was torn between teaching and becoming a full time Labour Party organiser. Thank God, I stuck to teaching.
I won the Harold Laski scholarship by submitting an essay and went off to Beatrice Webb House in Dorking for a two week training programme. The course was stuffed with wannabe councillors and MPs but only six of us chose the organisation option run by Williams.
He was crude but brilliant and totally contemptuous of most MPs. Like squaddies who regard the majority of officers as public school jessies. He knew that it was the front line infantry that delivered in the end.
These guys don`t exist any more. The current lot who govern us just talk management shite and have degrees in Insincerity and Self Interest (First Class).
Aah, traditional Labour values…..
I know plenty of full-time staffers (and by no means all organisers) who are not over-enamoured by MPs and have much more respect for people who do lots of local campaigning (to be fair, including some MPs, and with little to do with what political wing of the Party they’re on). Obviously, I won’t go into any more details, but thought that ought to be said.
“These guys don`t exist any more.”
Oh yes they do! I was on holiday last week with several such people. Bet you are jealous.
You were on holiday with the Tories, because if they do excist in labour they are bloody hiding.