The Falklands/Malvinas war , my introduction to the world of leftie politics.

That last post brought all the memories flooding back .

My introduction to the world of leftie politics was canvassing for labour in an overwhelmingly Tory naval town during the Falklands/Malvinas war. Being called a traitor and having scary abuse and threats hurled at you as a 16 year old is quite a baptism of fire.
The picture above is of the welcome given to 'our boys' when they returned to Portsmouth. Quite a time of uncritical jingoism .This revived Thatcher's popularity, unlike the situation with Blair today.

I remember going to counts on election night where the Tories had no worries about wiping the board and mocked any opposition with their arrogance . Three isolated Bennite Labour councillors was the most we could achieve . There had been four but one councillor , a middle class lecturer , joined the SDP. I had to put up with him almost daily as he taught me politics in my sixth form . Bastard !

Back then it was very difficult to criticise 'our boys', especially living very near to Portsmouth . Oh and even I sold the odd paper and got called a commie by the locals. Well I said sold, but it was only other LP members that bought it. Should I admit this, OK I sold The Militant . Now you can see what put me off ever joining a far left grouplet for life :-)They were the only leftie group in the area, that's my defence .

It took me quite a while to shake them off when I moved to London. Eventually they gave up on me as some sort of distraction from the revolution with all my talk of feminism and gay rights.

Ahhh, those were the days ...