The People Speak

The People Speak , a programme showing on 31 October at 9pm on The History Channel looks like it might be worth a look. According to Socialist Worker,

The People Speak promises to be an inspiring antidote to sanitised and top-down histories of Britain.

Actors play the roles of ordinary people to tell their stories in their own words.

It includes Paul Foot’s speech at the funeral of Blair Peach, who was killed by police while protesting against fascists.

Co-director and actor Colin Firth said, “Corruption, sexual deviation, rebellion, struggles for power—none of that made it into my history lessons.”

He described The People Speak as “the perfect response to the abject misery of my history class”.

The People Speak. Directed by Anthony Arnove and Colin Firth. The History Channel, 9pm, Sunday 31 October.

SHS meeting reminder

Reminder of the next Socialist History Society Meeting for those who can make it.

Tuesday 2nd November 2010 at 7pm.

Public Meeting:- ‘Dora Montefiore, Why Forgotten?’
A talk by Ted Crawford.

Ted Crawford, the editor of Revolutionary History and a member of the Socialist History Society, looks at the long and active political career of Dora Montefiore (1851-1933),variously a Suffragist, Socialist and Communist who was active in Britain and Australia, but who is today largely forgotten. Talk followed by discussion.

Venue: Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, London EC2 (opposite Liverpool Street Station).
Time: 7.00 p.m. Admittance free. All welcome

National Demonstration against Racism, Fascism and Islamophobia

From Unite Against Fascism

Union leaders, MPs and campaigners have signed up to support the national demonstration against racism, fascism and Islamophobia on Saturday 6 November in central London.

The demo has been called by UAF and our sister organisation Love Music Hate Racism, and backed by the TUC, the Muslim Council of Britain.

UPDATE: The march will assemble at
12 noon, Malet Street, London WC1 on Saturday 6 November.

Statement
We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned by the rise in fascism, Islamophobia, antisemitism and racism. The English Defence League has organised events across the country, stirring up hatred, Islamophobia and racism – running riot in some cases and provoking violent attacks on Muslim, black and Asian communities and on Mosques and Mandirs (Hindu temples).

Alongside this the British National Party has received unprecedented electoral support for a fascist organisation in Britain.

Despite losing many council seats in the elections this year, the BNP’s share of the vote overall continued to rise and it has two elected members of the European Parliament.

This is in the context of a wave of Islamophobia and racism in Europe and the USA, including threats to burn copies of the Qur’an, attacks on Mosques and Islamic cultural centres, bans on Muslim women’s full-face veils and the construction of minarets. In France, the Roma people have been singled out and subjected to mass expulsions.

Now, more than ever, we must unite to turn back this tide of hatred.

We stand against the rise of racism, fascism, Islamophobia and antisemitism and support the demonstration on Saturday 6 November.

Supporters include:
TUC, Muslim Council of Britain, Green Party, Brendan Barber general secretary TUC, Derek Simpson joint general secretary, Unite the union, Tony Woodley joint general secretary, Unite the union, Keith Sonnet deputy general secretary Unison, Paul Kenny general secretary GMB Ed Balls MP, Diane Abbott MP, Peter Hain MP, John McDonnell MP, Caroline Lucas MP, Andy Slaughter MP, Ken Livingstone Labour candidate for London Mayor, Benjamin Zephaniah poet, Michael Rosen writer, broadcaster and professor of children’s literature, Ken Loach film director, Jerry Dammers musician, Kid British band, Mumzy Stranger musician, Missing Andy band, Abbas Hasan musician, Tasha Tah musician DJ Rugrat DJ, Billy Hayes general secretary, CWU, Tony Kearns deputy general secretary, CWU, Chris Keates general secretary, NASUWT, Christine Blower general secretary NUT, Kevin Courtney deputy general secretary, NUT, Sally Hunt general secretary UCU, Mark Serwotka general secretary PCS, Hugh Lanning deputy general secretary PCS, Matt Wrack general secretary FBU, Bob Crow general secretary, RMT, Jeremy Dear general secretary NUJ, Pete Murray president NUJ, Gerry Conlon Guildford Four, Paddy Hill Birmingham Six, Runnymede Trust, Napo, POA, Musicians UnionBritish Muslim Initiative, London Muslim Centre, Craig Johnston, RMT Executive, Tony Woodhouse chair of Unite the Union executive committee, Mary Bousted general secretaty ATL, Andy Bain president TSSA, Ronnie Draper national president BFAWU, Lee Jasper 1990 Trust, Jane Loftus vice president CWU, Mick Shaw national president FBU and many more…