How the grinch stole May Day

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:38:51 +0000

About a year ago, Nottingham's May Day events became the source of much controversy after Notts Trades Council decided to invite New Labour MP, Alan Meale. The decision to invite Meale, an MP whose role in Parliament seemed to have been to facilitate the war-mongering, authoritarian and anti-migrant policies of the Blair government, was strongly opposed before and during the event.

In the aftermath, Notts Trades Council allies, such as Pete Radcliffe of the Alliance for Workers' Liberty, publicly sought to distance themselves from the Labour party. However, the Notts Trades Council were privately toadying up to Meale and the Labour party whilst slandering those who protested as anti-trade union.

In the run up to this year's May Day, it seems appropriate to make public the Trades Council's private statement to Meale, so that trade unionists and activists in Nottingham have an understanding of what kind of people and politics are running the show:

Nottingham May Day - one anarchist's perspective

Sat, 05 May 2012 17:25:28 +0000

This year Notts Trades Council decided to organise a march and rally for May Day. Amongst the expected representatives of trade unions and activist groups, their star speaker was to be Sir Alan Meale, Labour MP for Mansfield and loyal Blairite. This, unsurprisingly, caused a lot of controversy in the run up to the event. A march of a few hundred trade unionists, socialists and anarchists went from the Forest to the Congregational Hall for the rally. A number of speakers from trade unions and Notts Uncut spoke, but Meale was prevented from speaking by vocal protests and an intervention with placards. Many trade union leaders were furious and used physical and verbal aggression in an attempt to end the demonstration. After the rally, Autonomous Nottingham organised a demonstration against workfare in the city centre.

Nottingham Indymedia: 'alanmeale'

How the grinch stole May Day

Nottingham May Day - one anarchist's perspective