Splinters

I have written a book review which appears in the latest edition of Red Pepper -though not, unfortunately, the online version. Its of the political history "1926 General Strike-Workers Take Power" by Peter Taafe. As I say in the review, I feel a bit mean in being critical, as its not at all a bad brief over-view of a crucial period in British working-class history, and Taafe does bring some images in the mementous days to life quite well. On the other hand, it does lapse at times into cliche and auto-Marxist jargon. Moreover, as Taafe is a leading member of the Socialist Party (formerly Militant) it spends less time on the history and more time on inflating the SP's role in the grand scheme of things, and making sectarian criticisms of other groupuscules. In making such a criticism I felt a bit sectarian myself, but then I thought no, fuck it, the General Strike is in dire need of a vital, readable, popular history not tied to any faction. This isn't it. Bring one on buds.

When it comes to readable, relevant, non sectarian magazines of the left in the UK today Red Pepper is definitely the place to be. It showcases several points of view yet never gets bogged down in internicene feuds, it is consistently informative about movements and events both nationally and globally, and above all it is readable. It focuses on struggles as they occur and feels vaguely organic. All too rare.

Anyway, this is a happy week. More enjoyable than the death of the ague-riddled, rape-spreading crustacean itself is watching the haughty outrage of the assorted moral slime who continue to faun over it (the death-crab, not the death.) I've always thought there was nothing quite so hideously sanctimonious as "respecting" the passing of a self-serving sociopath who has casued the far more painful and lonely death of thousands of others. I've never bought the "ooh he's only an old man" defence when it comes to either this scroat or the old Nazi war criminals either. I don't care if you're 125. Since when did an old age pension equal a licence to mass-murder? Fair's fair, if that's the case, lets just give all OAP's a free reign, and I'll be Kalashnikoffing Gordon Ramsay the day after I get my bus pass.

Anyway, roll on the next one baby. The kind people have a wonderful dream......