Peterloo …
“We are many”
Remembering Peterloo, the birthplace of the Modern Labour movement Bicentennial – 16 August 1819 -2019
“Protest, Democracy, Freedom”
Unite General Secretary, Len McCluskey called for the story of Peterloo, a pro-democracy rally held in Manchester 1819 to be taught in schools. Len commented “Peterloo set us down a determined road to political representation. And it shone a light on the dark poverty that enchained our people while an elite wallowed in ever greater wealth.”
200 years ago on a sunny August day in 1918 dressed in ’Sunday best’ and carrying homemade flags and banners showing their support for political reform and extension of the franchise. 60,000 men, women and children with their picnics from Manchester and surrounding mill towns descended upon Manchester’s St Peter’s fields to hear to Universal Suffragist “champion of the people” Henry ‘Orator’ Hunt speak about votes for all men and women, to speak about democracy and rights. Many people were frustrated because they had no say in how they were governed. The demonstrators hoped that their presence would influence the Government and bring about change for the good.
The Manchester elite and Magistrates supported Lord Liverpool’s Tory policies and were opposed to giving people the vote nor did they want a change of Parliament and were vehemently opposed to democracy The Manchester yeomanry and armed government militia attempted to arrest the leader of the people’s protest and disperse the crowds and moved towards the stage with sharpened swords riding on horseback they charged through the crowd– in the process about 18 protestors were killed and up to 700 more were injured. Henry Hunt was arrested and jailed for 2 years. The radical press likened the attack to Waterloo and dubbed it the Peterloo Massacre.
The massacre precipitated further Tory government crackdowns on reform with 6 acts designed to ban mass meetings, banned the carrying of flags and limited circulation of sheet newspapers. Widespread public criticism of government violence led to the growing unrest and the founding of the Manchester Guardian. People of all classes considered the protesters had the moral high ground. Many Manchester cotton merchants and factory owners joined the movement for reform, making their case for political change in newly established Manchester Guardian.(1821)
The public response to the Manchester Massacre also played a crucial role in the later passage of the Great Reform Act of 1832, which historians consider the starting point of modern British democracy and the modern Labour movement. The cause of the “Peterloo Martyrs” was then taken up by chartists. In Lancashire, Chartist branches would read the names of the dead every 16 August and recall the sacrifice of the cotton spinners.who made a stand for free speech and democracy.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, socialists and early Ind LP leaders also referred back to Peterloo as birth even today Labour politicians and left-wing jour and political activists recognise the bravery of the mill workers who risked their lives on that sunny day 200 years ago.
“Peterloo was the moment when we the people began the journey – a journey we seem destined to stay on – to representation and respect. Peterloo Massacre for being the precursor “to the early trade unions we recognise today as our forefathers”.Len McCluskey urges us all to ”Never forget – there is power in out protest”
Peterloo ultimately gave us the vote and democracy, it may not seem like it following almost 10 years of Tory austerity that has led to deaths, poverty, food banks, child malnutrition and decimation of local public services. If ever there was a time to take a stand and demand our rights, justice and democracy it is now. WE NEED CHANGE
Let us commemorate Peterloo,
Let us honour the Martyrs
Let us Rise like Lions, from slumber
“We are many, they are few”
“We pray for Syria? Theresa May Preys on Syria?” (in A tale of 2 autocrats?)
Do you really speak for the “working classes”?or I, Daniel Blake
“Reclaiming the Labour as the political voice of the Working Class“ (Andy you said this from a quote of Len Mccluskey) as part of a discussion on disengagement and the maccinations within Momentum – the lauded “New Movement” that was going to bring the Labour Party to the masses, I smiled to myself as brown shirts, Father Christmas and the idea that the working classes don’t understand what is happening nor understand the language that is being used. Comments all found within the same discussion.
I smiled, as I thought what utter patronising B *** crap, together with the tears shed in sympathy at screenings of I, Daniel Blake, demonstrates what exactly is wrong with politics and why so many are disillusioned with it. 
Too many well meaning people are deciding what is the best for everyone without actually hearing what is being said to them. When was…
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Do you really speak for the “working classes”?or I, Daniel Blake
What role for local Momentum groups? “to obey, or have a real say?”
Equality, Fairness (DPAC) & Chakrabarti Report (A view from a Wheelchair)
There are more than “only 4”
A lot has been made of the “Lansman slate” in each of the 3 regions for (NCG) National Coordination Group election… So they have all had a push from a “popular website”. Are they all puppet candidates put in place by a Machiavellian leader? Various allegations have included misuse of data bases, I’m sure everyone received an email stating that this could not possibly be true.Let’s leave criticism aside of individuals, slates and even Jon Lansman as Momentum have had more than a fair share of criticism since it was established after the 2015 leadership victory of Jeremy Corbyn.
Personally, I don’t agree with how the constitution was put in place, I believe that there needed to be one. In hindsight maybe, things may have been done better and much more inclusively to involve members, that opportunity has gone so now there needs to be some acceptance of what can’t…
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Why vote for me?Don’t take the … P
I’m not necessarily the best person to vote for. Why? because that’s a decision only you should make. Hopefully by now you have read the scribbles and statements, read the web pages and…
Why vote for me?Don’t take the … P
I’m not necessarily the best person to vote for. Why? because that’s a decision only you should make. Hopefully by now you have read the scribbles and statements, read the web pages and come to YOUR choice. I’d obviously be thrilled if that could be me.
I can only promise to be the best person that I can be, I definitely WONT be quiet or sit there demurely whilst dictated to from “on high”. If something is wrong ethically or socio-politically I will say so. Jon Lansman will not have the easiest ride if I’m successful and selected to be an NCG member. I’m an activist not a doormat.
I believe that Momentum provides hope but also insecurity, In my opinion a constitution was needed to provide focus and direction with defined objectives. Do I support Lansmans’ constitution? How it was presented to members as a “fait accompli”with no consultation NO … some of the dodgy clauses? again NO – for example to change anything you need the support of ridiculous numbers, and there are plenty of things that need changing.
I don’t like the way structures were simply done away with a dictatorial decision. That made Momentum unstable and members left feeling insecure and disenfranchised, impacting upon the Labour Party.
Lansman don’t take the piss out of members, they will drop you in the sh*t !
However, I’ve not been happy with the past set up either as it pretty much felt like a secret club that I certainly wasn’t part of. I kept wondering “What is happening?locally? regionally?” the impression that I was beginning to get- it was a London centric ego club and we were the muppets paying for it. Plenty of money for huge London rally, but as for the regions we had to scrap the money together ourselves. But it was FUN – these leadership campaigns what a jolly !!! 
Hang on, isn’t that a bad thing for the Labour Party? Yes, it was fun, but it is also destabilising so we desperately need a combination of representatives with diverse range of qualities to come together, work out the constitution issue, work out the restructuring and UNITE for our party.
WE WANT A LABOUR GOVERNMENT…. ASAP
Let’s work out how we can raise the profile of Labour through our membership of Momentum.Let’s make our CLP wards and branches strong and reflective of the feeling of our members; our communities and the population as a whole. BRexit was a protest vote in my opinion and fuelled by hate pedalling right wing Tories/ UKIP. It’s now Teresa May who has the unenviable task of sorting it out. However, I believe we need to start thinking General Election NOW and getting Labour in power led by Jeremy Corbyn.
95% of the population are being negatively impacted by Austerity measures, the uber -wealthy are getting wealthier as they purge our country not just of money into Tax Avoidance Havens but of it’s skills wealth, it’s pride. WE have to all Unite, together wage a war on inequity, start looking at ways to repair, reinvigorate and restore the deficit in our nation.
Together, We are strong.. United we are invincible
I’d like to represent you, the members of our disjointed region on the NCG. We are already more united than we realise as members of Momentum, we can bring the power back to those who already vote Labour, but the disenfranchised, the 40% non & can’t be bothered voters, young & old; members and non members, everybody needs to vote Labour.
COME ON WE HAVE A JOB TO DO ……
Jae 4 NCG 