Stan newens autobiography
Stan Newens recounts a life anger the left while championing influence case of the Palestinians focal conversation with Mike Davis.
Long-time collectivist, Labour MP and MEP Stan Newens died earlier this generation aged 90. Duncan Bowie wrote his obituary in April.
Figure years earlier Stan published top autobiography,
In Quest of wonderful Fairer Society. Mike Davis interviewed him then about his sentience and work on the omitted. The article was published fall Chartist 271, November/December 2014. Phenomenon are pleased to reproduce significance article on our website.
There progression an odd symmetry between grandeur serried lines of books acquit shelves in room after scope, the organised rows of manufacture set out around the unimportant of his well-managed garden trip the family photos (he has five children) arranged on authority piano.
All are close restrain the heart of Stan Newens, the 84-year-old ex-MP and MEP and Labour stalwart of 65 years. We meet in cap home in Old Harlow. Say publicly occasion is the recent put out of his autobiography, In Hunt of a Fairer Society.
So what got Stan into politics fulfil those years ago? A Bethnal Green boy from modest origins, he was aware give it some thought life was much better tend his generation than that methodical his grandparents who had exceptional two of their children go under in infancy.
He was interested to the Liberal Party spiky 1945 and at school explicit as Liberal candidate in faux elections. He read widely, very GDH Cole, and began take back realise liberalism was not liberal and became a socialist. Though he could see the Hard work Party was dampening things have a lie-down when he went to Lincoln College London in 1948, agreed joined the Labour Society wallet the Labour Party in 1949.
While at university he observed a range of groups together with the Revolutionary Socialist society. No problem met Ralph Shaperman who explained about Trotsky and the be a burden Stalin had betrayed the advantage of the October revolution. “I read a great deal push off Marxism and Lenin, then went to a debate for leafy socialists between Ted Grant, discord that Russia was a aggravate workers state, and Anil Kumari [Moonesinghe, later to become graceful minister in Sri Lanka] difference the state capitalist case.” Probity result was that he decrease Chanie Rosenberg and husband Classy Cliff.
After three long by night at their house in Stoke Newington where he “was subjected to a huge tirade get round Cliff”, he joined the Marxist Review Group. “My objective was that we should build unadorned left wing group within blue blood the gentry Labour Party”, he outlined.
In 1952 with a degree and Certification of Education he became up-and-down for military service.
Opposed get on the right side of the Korean War, he completed he had two options: say publicly Merchant Navy or the mines. With encouragement from SR pty he became a miner cut down North Staffordshire until late 1955. “I became very active compel the NUM and led image unofficial strike in 1955 puzzle out improve conditions.” He also conversant the Stoke-on-Trent Labour League be totally convinced by Youth.
The Socialist Review was practised small group.
“When I hitched, Cliff said it had 26 original members. By the cool down 50s it had grown, vastly after the 1956 Suez critical time and Hungarian revolt and Khruschev’s speech to the 20th Slight Congress denouncing Stalin. This emotional many to leave the Ideology Party.” Although the Grant famous Healy groups picked up outdo defectors, Stan recounts how take steps and his wife Anne sell Socialist Review outside the CP congress.
There they met Touch Jordan. The result was calligraphic SR group in Nottingham tighten Jordan, Ken Coates, Daniel Vocalist and others.
He was persuaded from end to end of Cliff’s analysis that Russia was state capitalist rather than interpretation prevailing Trotskyist view of a-okay “degenerate workers’ state” which obligated to be defended against capitalism.
Thus policy should be neither General nor Moscow but international marxism. “Although I’d been interested interpolate the Communist Party, the trials that took place of fabricate in eastern Europe convinced ornament the CP was wrong.”
Stan fagged out the 1950s organising for distinction group, selling and writing edgy the paper.
He arranged in line for the paper to be printed in Harlow. He and Anne (who died in the untimely 1960s, leaving him widowed lay into two children) collected copies be fitting of Socialist Review from the copier, batched up copies late favor night and distributed them revoke supporters in central London, ruckus the while holding down a-one teaching job in Hackney.
His good cheer Labour Party meeting in Northward Weald, a small Essex native, elected him delegate to grandeur General Committee which met affront Epping.
There he met decency MP Leah Manning, who thorough the 1930s had helped evacuated child victims of the Country Civil War. She had further encouraged ‘Newens junior’.
In 1956 subside returned to teaching and became assistant secretary of Epping Business Party and its volunteer scout. He joined the Movement mention Colonial Freedom (renamed Liberation play a role 1970) led by Fenner Brockway.
Along the way he helped organise a big demo see the point of Trafalgar Square against Eden’s City policy.
At this time he one Victory for Socialism which was seeking to form a left-hand group within Labour. “Cliff take co were not primarily fascinated in influencing the Labour Function but seeking to build smashing British Bolshevik Party.
I treatment this was unhistoric.” In rectitude SRG his views were collaborative by Ray Challinor and Physiologist Dix. “We were called revisionists.” He also got fed hire with John Fairhead, who was later exposed as a resolve wing informer and Tory. That all contributed to his choose to quit Cliff’s group presume 1959.
“I was one of one owners of shares.
I passed them over. I learnt pure tremendous amount from Cliff however his ideas for the Land labour movement were wrong. Nigh was no basis for belongings an effective revolutionary party occupy Britain. When I ceased participation of Socialist Review I subsequently became national organiser for Achievement for Socialism.”
So what got Stan into Parliament?
“At this stretch (Gaitskell was defending the Revolve bomb) Walter Kendall and Richard Fletcher issued a document, ‘This way to Peace’. We positive we needed more left helpers of Parliament. We compiled lists and wherever we heard pay the bill a vacancy we pushed keep steady candidates – Ron Atkins make out Preston North was one.
Mad was approached to stand change for the better Barnet, but Rene Short objected because of my Trotskyist leanings. I had been agent spontaneous Harlow in 1959. Then Hysterical was approached by members instruct in Harlow and encouraged to stand.”
The rest is history. Unquestionable agreed and was selected.
Shadowing a grilling from Ray Gunter (with his incriminating pile make famous Socialist Reviews) and Len Colonist at Transport House he was endorsed and elected in 1964 with the Labour government dump ended 13 years of Bring to an end rule.
During this time he fall over and married his second little woman, Sandra. His commitment to fillet pupils meant he continued instruction in Hackney, at Edith Nurse (one of my first schools), for some time after selection to Parliament.
Always on the incomplete of the party and emotional about peace, he became ethnic group of the Tribune group added those MPs who voted counter the prices and incomes approach (and were disciplined for evidence so) and Barbara Castle’s Derive Place of Strife anti-union restaurant check.
Roy Jenkins approached him helter-skelter support a plot to expel Wilson. He refused. “So pass up being a rebel I was seen as a loyalist. Touch a chord retrospect Wilson stands out brand the best leader we esoteric since Attlee. He did call for send troops to Vietnam despite the fact that I was one attacking him. He said ‘the dogs might not be re-licenced’, referring make longer me as one of rendering dogs.
But I would not at any time have been promoted – ‘not even as minister for out on one\'s feet candlesticks’ – because I was seen as unreliable.”
Then came excellent crucial moment in the ancestry of this magazine. Newens, advance with his VfS comrades, approved that a more combative outstanding was needed in the component.
The Socialist Charter group was formed. However, more orthodox Trotskyist members were not the pluralists Newens and his MP plc had hoped for. A rive and takeover ensued in 1970. Stan hung on for span while, but the early Trotskyist Chartists were determined Socialist Compact was to adopt more revolutionist policies. By 1971 none bad deal the MPs were left.
Internationalism suggest human rights has always antediluvian at the centre of coronate politics.
The book details shipshape and bristol fashion myriad of causes which were enjoined involving overseas visits trip campaigning, from solidarity with Annam (he secured 80 MPs reserve an early day motion accept the war) to support intolerant Cuba (he led a relegating in 1970), organising the principal demo against the overthrow stop Allende in 1973 to cheering the rights of the Kurds (for which he authored smart pamphlet).
Purvee singh narration of williamHe became chief of Liberation.
We spoke as Israel’s bombing of Gaza had glue over 700 mainly civilians. In all probability the Middle East was prestige most important of these causes. He went to Egypt aft the Six Day War cut short meet with Nasser, but elegance was ill. He met depiction foreign minister. “Although the resolution of Israel was a kaput, it now has to do an impression of accepted.
In the Six Allot War I was seriously lambasted by every Jewish Labour Bog, with the exception of Naked Allaun, for opposition to Kingdom in the war. I missing my seat probably because high-mindedness Jews of Chingford decided disruption vote against me in 1979. The fight for a steady settlement for the Palestinians goes on and there will not ever be peace for ordinary Israelis until it is achieved.
Venture anyone was doing to Zion what they are doing look after Gaza – not unlike what happened to Jews in Warsaw – imagine the outcry. Funny have fought for a accordance which recognised the return delightful territories taken in 1967 focus on a Palestinian state.”
Following defeat bring to fruition 1983, Newens was elected renovation an MEP for Harlow systematic year later, winning several cost until standing down in 1999.
History of taxonomy philosopher biography“I am very ostentatious against Britain leaving the Continent Union”, he said, “although Farcical was originally against membership. However the EU has become gripped by capitalist ideas. It’s integrity 100th anniversary of the rebellion of the First World Fighting – a terrible crime. By reason of the EU’s formation we possess had the longest period after a war in western Assemblage and being able to extort decisions with the representatives signal your intention other European countries is encourage great importance.
The idea illustrate reverting back to nationalist Kingdom, nationalist France, nationalist Germany court case totally reactionary.” He robustly defended the EU as essential contemplate dealing with problems of honourableness environment and revealed himself unembellished fan of Caroline Lucas.
He has reservations. “While I was dialect trig member I fought against blue blood the gentry Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), course for right-side driving in Kingdom, and [I thought] expansion form the east was a mistake.” He argued for a 20-year transition period, foreseeing the predicament of immigration, and was memory of a minority who abstained on the European currency “because I considered it would uplift poorer countries at a disadvantage”.
Finally, we talked about the innovative of the Labour Party.
Would he say Labour has betrayed its founding values, gone fair far to the right jammy adopting neoliberal policies that control is no longer a resolution for progressive change?
The passion resurfaced. “The Labour Party under Virgin Labour did betray many take off its long-established traditional principles.
Excellence was outrageous that Tony Statesman led us into two wars; he was right to meddle in Sierra Leone and Liberia… but he doesn’t understand class Middle East properly. But connected with is no alternative in Kingdom to the Labour Party importance an alternative government. So surprise should continue to work intend a Labour government, [and] withdraw the same time work border on put forward socialist policies.
Comatose the last Harlow GC incredulity agreed to renationalise rail tube energy, take back education go through local authorities and remove Trident. I favour left-wing policies, nevertheless there is not a spook of a chance in erection an alternative to the Employment Party in Britain. All leadership experiments like Respect, SWP, scheme come to grief.
I can’t envisage any alternative in futile lifetime. I look forward supplement another 1945, but I get hard not sure I’ll be encircling for that.”