Now -read the book!

Here is a link to my memoirs which, if you are a glutton for punishment, you can purchase online at https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/an-obscure-footnote-in-trade-union-history.
Men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name. (William Morris - A Dream of John Ball)

Saturday, July 11, 2009

It's not a great game...

At the height of the power of the British Empire, our army engaged in years of fighting in Central Asia, including Afghanistan in what was known at the time as the “Great Game”.

Nowadays only some deluded sections of the British ruling class (and their New Labour hangers on) believe that this country is still really a Great Power.

Because of this delusion 184 British troops have died in Afghanistan.

These (mostly) young working class men could be alive now, living and working in this country.

UNISON supports the Stop the War Coalition and I am glad that Stop the War are organising a timely protest on Monday 13 July (at Downing Street at 5pm) to call for the withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan.

When the National Labour Link Committee considers the criteria by which we will decide which politicians our Union will support in future I hope that we will take into account whether they are among those who have opposed such military adventures.

(Update – shortly after first posting this I find that I am in agreement with my fellow Branch Secretary.)

(Further update - sign the petition to bring the troops home!)

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