Dinner Guests and the nation's funny bone

Dinner Guests?

There is a popular ice breaker question used by some people (presumably the ones who host dinner parties!) "Who would be you ideal dinner guests?"

Well I don't do dinner parties (just don't get invited!) but I was reminded of this poser today as I walked around the banks of the river Wear in Durham. I was listening to a collection of the diaries of Anthony Wedgewood Benn. I trust Wikipedia about as far as I can throw it but I think the site gives a useful flavour of his career.

On this particular chapter he was talking of the time of the miner's strike in 1984. Which led my train of thought onto the topics of 

1. the Labour Government 1975-79
2. The role of nationalised industry.

The period starting 1975 and rolling into the Eighties were the formation years of my political consciousness.  

During the "wilderness years" of the 1980's it was often Tony Benn's brand of radical socialism that was blamed for all their years in opposition. It was described as the Loony left by The Sun newspaper in particular. 

I remember quite well the industrial turmoil of the late 1970's and the social turmoil of the early 1980's. When I heard the transcripts of his diaries I was immediately fascinated. Partly to hear Tony Benn's part but also the machinations of a government under pressure.

Labour 1975-1979

At the start of this period I was very young, I remember more of the summer of '76 and the water shortages. But I do remember my Dad being upset at a headline in his newspaper of the unemployment rate reaching 1 million. The concept of unemployment was difficult for him. He reached adulthood in the immediate post war period and it's supposed "consensus" period. This link provides an interesting counterpoint however, one I take issue with but interesting none the less. However full employment was a given for my father and his generation. 

The seeds for social change were sown during the seventies. The incumbent Labour government went cap in hand to the IMF and to accept money they had to accept changes.

What this marked is how governments started to bow to commercial pressure for the first time since WWII. But it marked the death nell for the Labour party of that era. In the words of Tony Benn that government reneged on it's election promises as a result. 

Two Ronnies

In my memory, the seventies were important for the amount of industrial unrest. It became a laughing stock. From the The Two Ronnies to the Carry On.. series. It was this industrial unrest that largely drove the swing to the Conservatives for 18 years. The period known as the winter of discontent. Here is another view of that period and an interesting viewpoint considering it was written before the 2010 election.

As a footnote on the power of the trade unions I remember a visit paid to my sixth form college by a local executive of the TGWU union. He didn't get a hard time but I don't think the advantages of union membership were successfully impressed on the teens of my home town. I was lucky to come across this gentleman some years later by which time I was in employment. I remarked that I too was not entirely convinced of union membership. I was sympathetic as I was aware of trade union history Tolpuddle Martyrs for instance but we all believed we lived in a more enlightened age and this sort of protection was no longer necessary. 

carry on at your convenience

After 5 years of working life I was utterly convinced of the need for union membership. I don't want to use this particular blog as a mouthpiece for the trade union movement suffice to say the evidence before me at that time proved that I shouldn't walk into a place of employ without it. Enlightened age or not I saw the need for back up from a greater power. An older brother if you like.

I digress

Nationalised industry 

This is actually an issue that needs a blog all of it's own. The issue involves quite diverse industries. All in all I am not in favour of wholesale nationalisation. There are exceptions however. Where there is a clear national interest I support it - Health, education and Defence for instance. 

I am an NHS employee and believe passionately in it's basic tenet of free health care at the point of use. Health is so central to our everyday lives that it should not be dependant on our ability to pay. If you must have taxation what better reason to tax. Likewise for education, greatness can come from anywhere and the opportunity of a full and complete education should allow someone from any background to achieve their full potential free from the ability of the parents to provide. Finally the defense of the nation is the sovereign right of every country and must be done in  the name of that government, not under contractual obligation.

Other areas are a little grey. You see I would would put the water companies under the health banner. I don't like the provision of clean and safe water being run by a company that needs to male a profit. It is a basic human right for clean water and I believe my needs and the need to turn a profit may clash with the end result that my water supply is compromised.

The perils and pitfalls of nationalisation needs a blog of it's own.

It is my belief though that the power of the unions and the amount of nationalised industry led to the demise of the Labour government of the seventies. The unions were able to utilise industry as a direct tool against government policy. Their fight was with the government and our industrial output was the hostage.

It hailed 18 years of Conservative rule that sowed the seed for the fall out when the banking system collapsed.



Now I bet Tony Benn hasn't been linked to The Two Ronnies or the Carry On...  movies before!