Dr George Barnsby, Sept 10, 2008
Gordon Brown made history this week by bringing the Cabinet outside
Downing Street for the first time in its history. And where did he bring? To
the West Midlands the heart of our industry since the Industrial Revolution.
In one way it is a cheek to come to Birmingham where Blair, Brown and his
New Labourites have been selling our industries down the river until there
is almost nothing left and our trade unions which were mangled under
Thatcher are only just finding enough strength to fight to bring our
industry back, while there is still a generation of craftsmen left in
Britain.
Further cheek on Brown’s part is his pretence to listen to the people,
when we know full well he will only listen to what he wants to hear and it
was a lone voice in the crowd who shouted, ‘What about the war in Iraq’ and
was given short shrift by Brown who would not deign to answer it.
Fortunately among those who fought to retain British industry, Carl
Chinn, wrote a magnificent article on the role of Birmingham in the first
Reform Act of 1832 which wrested power from the aristocracy, but
unfortunately for working people who bore the brunt of organising and
rioting gave power to the employing class and it was not until 1867 that
some working men were given the vote and not until after World War I that
women were allowed to vote.
For the further edification of Brown and his New Labourites who are
destroying our hard earned liberties Carl goes on to talk of the political
influence of Birmingham. How in the 1840s Birmingham was the centre of the
Chartist movement aimed to give votes to working men and the meeting of the
unions (reform unions, not trade unions) the mass meeting on Newhall Hill
Birmingham kick-started the Chartist Movement. Then in the 1870s the
world’s eyes turned to Birmingham as Joseph Chamberlain, the mayor, preached
the Civic Gospel, propounded also by Christian preachers that it was the
duty of those better off to work for the good of the community and so slums
were cleared and gas and water provided for its people. The town took over
these facilities and Municipal Socialism was a success which Brown and his
cabinet who toured one of the few surviving remnants of our car industry at
Jaguar’s need reminding of. Meanwhile the people of Birmingham showed that
they were tired of empty promises and very few Brummies turned out to
greet Brown – they had heard it all before and Brown will only heed what he
wants to – and the war in Iraq is not one of them.
Now Bush is talking of removing troops from Iraq as his term of office
nears. Avoid semi-gods bearing gifts. He and Cheney face arrest as they
leave the White House in November for Crimes against Humanity.
Peace and Justice Post 
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