Delete and Insert

Sometimes, you stumble across something that really neatly sums up the difference between the left and the right of the labour movement. And so it was that last week, thumbing through records of London Labour Party Conferences in the 1920s (I'm writing a book on Poplarism), I found this ...

In 1922, the London Labour Party Executive proposed a report to the conference (almost certainly penned by Herbert Morrison, pictured), the introduction to which stated: Fortified by the valuable experience obtained in practical work the London Labour Party faces the electorate with much greater knowledge and experience than it possessed three years ago; it is better equipped than ever to discharge the responsibilities of municipal statesmanship.

Woolwich Trades Council proposed an amendment: Delete "discharge the responsibilities of municipal statesmanship" and Insert "serve the interests of the Working Class."

Well, quite.