Anyone familiar with the films of ex-Python Terry Gilliam will surely know all about the wonderful exploits of Baron Münchhausen. An officer in the Russian army of the eighteenth century, he was also the subject of a number of books claiming to recount his strange adventures - which included travelling to the moon, riding on a cannonball, turning a wolf inside out and discovering an island made entirely of cheese.
I suspect that John Rees and Lindsey German have not only seen the film but read the books as well. It’s the obvious explanation for some of their own recent flights of fancy. These erstwhile ‘British Lenins’ have developed a positive mania for the creation of fictitious political organisations. Not only do they continue to lay spurious claim to the name of Respect (a party inexorably linked in the public mind with George Galloway, whom they cordially detest), but they have more recently plucked another ‘united front of a special kind’ out of their top hat - the ‘Left List’. Both of these organisations are characterised by the fact that they are blatant fronts for the SWP, and have won no significant wider support.
Here in Bristol, where there are no elections this year, the local SWPers are able to avoid some of the confusion prevalent elsewhere and continue to concentrate on masquerading as Respect. The fact that there is a flourishing genuine Respect branch doesn’t seem to bother them. SWPers were seen on yesterday’s public service demonstration giving out SWP-Respect leaflets which announced a public meeting in Easton - which just happens to be where George Galloway spoke at a highly successful, official Respect meeting last month! It seems that while Baron Münchhausen was content to sail through the skies on a cannonball, the SWP prefer to ride on George Galloway’s coat tails…
Mind you, I’m tempted to go along to SWP-Respect’s meeting. It’s titled ‘Another Bristol Is Possible’ - presumably one that’s made entirely from cheese.
7 Comments
April 25, 2008 at 1:22 pm
How could you mention Monty Python and not mention ‘Splitters!’ - haha
As someone who enjoys politics and believes in the left, I can only say that the SWP are little more than a cult of fools.
April 25, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Hi,
I’m a member of Bath Respect. Can you tell me why I never receive any communication from ‘official’ Respect?
Am I a member of Respect according to you? I mean I have a membership card and I’ve never been expelled, so why am I being excluded from my own party?
April 25, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Hi Michael,
I’ve contacted the local branch covering Bristol & Bath and they don’t have a record of your name. If you’d like to email me your contact details I’ll ask someone to call you and sort it out. There’s no question of any members being excluded! You can email me on:
admin@uplandtrout.co.uk
Cheers,
BB.
April 25, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Faceless - you’re right of course on the ’splitters’ thing - a serious omission!
As for the SWP, I blame the leadership rather than the rank and file, though the ordinary members’ credulity is becoming increasingly trying…..
April 25, 2008 at 5:49 pm
this does a diservice to cheese (and any other dairy products)
April 25, 2008 at 6:54 pm
‘Suprising’ Tsk, tsk! I suppose all the teachers were striking when you were a lad, rather than teaching you to speel.
April 26, 2008 at 8:00 am
Well spotted Rob, you win this week’s star prize - a day out canvassing with the lovely Lindzee!
Leave a Reply