Here We Go Again

From the Socialist Standard Past & Present blog –    “Ron Todd’s docker” is a reference to a famous speech that then TGWU leader, Ron Todd, made in reaction to the political climate of Thatcher’s Britain. I couldn’t find a clip or an actual excerpt of the speech but it is referenced in Neil Kinnock’s leader speech at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton in 1987:    “Ron Todd made the point with deadly accuracy just a couple of months ago when he asked: ‘what do you say to a docker who earns £400 a week, owns his house, a new car, a microwave and a video, as well as a small place near Marbella?’ ‘You do not say,’ said Ron, ‘let me take you out of your misery, brother.’ (Laughter and applause) When he asked that question, Ron Todd was not suggesting that we trail along in the wake of something called popular capitalism – he was facing a fundamental question for our party with admirable candour that I would recommend universally. It is a question which we must all face if we are going to have an effective response to the changes taking place in our society.”There is a news report of the Chesterfield Conference on YouTube at the following link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz6DLnFCIYsThe news clip featuring a very young Paul Mason in his Workers Power days and Ralph Miliband…”