Category Archives: young people

My review of “Ants Among Elephants An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India” Sujatha Gidla

Posted on August 17, 2018 by lipstick socialist

  Sujatha Gidla’s new book is not about the modern India of bollywood, nuclear weapons and a thriving economy. It is her family’s story set at the end of British colonial rule,  a family of “untouchables” – part of the … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, book review, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, political women, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

My review of “Guilty Until Proven Innocent” by Jon Robins

Posted on July 24, 2018 by lipstick socialist

  In the introduction to this critical and crucial analysis of the criminal justice (or rather injustice) system Michael Mansfield QC (who represented people in  many of the cases mentioned)  reminds  the reader that after the 1980s landmark miscarriage of … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, North of Ireland, political women, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Women in Poland; Putting them back into the story of the Solidarity Movement.

Posted on June 30, 2018 by lipstick socialist

    In 1981 riots broke out in Moss Side where I lived. It reflected the oppression experienced by the Afro-Caribbean  people in that area; that they were discriminated against in housing, education and employment. After the riots, people like … Continue reading →

Posted in Communism, education, feminism, films, human rights, labour history, Manchester, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

The IBRG archive at the WCML. Part Four; How Irish women played an active role in IBRG.

Posted on June 8, 2018 by lipstick socialist

In the 1970s the Irish community in Britain was represented by the Federation of Irish Societies; an organisation made up of mainly men who were Irish born. IBRG was set up in 1981 because of the F.I.S.’s reluctance to speak … Continue reading →

Posted in feminism, human rights, International Women's Day, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, North of Ireland, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

My review of “Where are you really from” by Tim Brannigan

Posted on May 31, 2018 by lipstick socialist

  In the 1970s I went to a girls Catholic (read Irish) secondary school in south Manchester. Most of the girls were like me, second generation Irish, with a sprinkling of Irish born, like my friends who were had recently … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Catholicism, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, North of Ireland, Uncategorized, working class history, young people | Tagged , | 2 Comments

My review of ‘Kill all the Gentlemen’ Class struggle and change in the English countryside by Martin Empson

Posted on May 24, 2018 by lipstick socialist

  In this new book Martin Empson reminds us that class conflict did not start with the Industrial Revolution and urban struggles. In this well researched history he begins with  the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 and then  take us up … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, education, human rights, labour history, Socialism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The IBRG archive at the WCML; Part Three;Publicising IBRG to the Irish diaspora.

Posted on May 7, 2018 by lipstick socialist

  In 1987 IBRG was six years old and growing as new branches were being started across the country. Communicating with the Irish communty  was not as easy then as it is today. In the 1980s  some  Irish people were … Continue reading →

Posted in education, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, North of Ireland, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

My review of “Poster Workshop 1968-1971” by Sam Lord with Peter Dukes, Jo Robinson and Sarah Wilson.

Posted on April 29, 2018 by lipstick socialist

It is the May elections this week and the title of this book will resonate with many people: they are that disillusioned with the political process and politicians.  But this book is not about politicians; it is about how people … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, Catholicism, Communism, drama, education, feminism, human rights, Ireland, labour history, North of Ireland, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The IBRG archive at the WCML; the rebirth of a Branch. Part Two

Posted on April 13, 2018 by lipstick socialist

    Today most of us involved in our trade union or community organisation use the internet,  including FB and twitter to communicate with our members. In the period of this archive there was no internet and contact with members … Continue reading →

Posted in education, feminism, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, North of Ireland, political women, Socialism, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Rising Up; How the MSWTUC worked with the Bakers’ Union to organise women confectioners.

Posted on March 29, 2018 by lipstick socialist

In 2018 the numbers of trade union members is on the decline: many young people do not see the point of joining. Some unions, such as the Baking Food and Allied Workers Union, are bucking that trend and young  people … Continue reading →

Posted in education, feminism, human rights, labour history, Manchester, political women, Salford, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment