History

A Marxist and trade unionist herself, Booth makes Lansbury a hero of her time and place and of what she sees as a continuing fight for equality.

Soldier F said he only harmed
protesters who held bombs or arms
Soldier F had truths to hide
The soldier lied

Lord Saville said
none of the dead
had posed a threat
but that did not stop Soldier F

When one-and-twenty soldiers shoot
then why no prospect to prosecute
Soldier L or Soldier M
who killed a lad who crawled from them?

In this three-minute video, Janine introduces the momentous events of 1919.

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A new short book (40 pages + cover), written by Janine Booth and published by Workers' Liberty.

In 1919, inspired by the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, British workers took more strike action than ever before. But communists in Britain had still not formed a united party. Labour's representation in Parliament was weak.

Ian Townson reviews 'Minnie Lansbury: suffragette, socialist, rebel councillor' in Solidarity 491, 16 January 2019

Minnie Lansbury was one of the rebel Labour councillors of Poplar (East London) who in 1921 forced the Tory¬Liberal coalition government to start central government payments to equalise resources between councils in poor and in well¬off areas.

Janine Booth’s biography of Lansbury is rich in detail about her life; working¬class conditions at the time; and much more. It is a solid achievement given the scarcity of material available on Lansbury to work on.