On 31 July 1914 the ILP’s Keir Hardie and Arthur Henderson signed an ‘Appeal to the British Working Class’ on behalf of the British section of the International Socialist Bureau, which called for them to ‘act promptly and vigorously in the interests of peace’. ‘There is no time to lose,’ they said. ‘Men and women...
Conference to Mark Workers’ Internationalism
A conference to mark two significant anniversaries of workers’ internationalism will be held in Norwich this weekend....
WWI: The ILP and the ‘Great’ War
The ILP played a major role in the anti-war and no conscription movements during the First World War. Many were gaoled, and many abused for their principled, political opposition to the conflict. Yet, not all ILPers became conscientious objectors, as IAN BULLOCK explains....
WWI: ‘Don’t Forget the COs,’ say Peace Groups
A group of peace organisations have called for the courage and commitment of conscientious objectors and peace activists to be “given proper attention” during this year’s First World War centenary commemorations....
WWI: Remember Those Who Refused to Fight
‘We have a duty to educate future generations about the First World War,’ declared David Cameron, announcing centenary commemorations of the war’s outbreak in 1914. We have a duty to remember the whole story, argues OWEN ADAMS, including those who opposed the conflict. ...
ILP@120: Bob Edwards – A Lifetime on the Left
From Liverpool ILP to the House of Commons via Russia, Spain and the USA, Bob Edwards was politically active all his life. CHRIS HALL retraces his long journey. Bob Edwards had a remarkably long political life. He was a member of the ILP ‘Guild of Youth’, then became an ILP member and a Labour Party...
Taking Sides in the Spanish Civil War
The role of artists and writers in the Spanish Civil War will be the focus of next year’s Len Crome Memorial conference in Manchester on 1 March....
Nelson Mandela: Remember the Man and the Struggle
The death of Nelson Mandela in South Africa has rightly led to a flood of tributes from public figures all over the world. But we should remember that change in South Africa was the result of long, hard political struggle....
No Pasaran: From Civil War to Los Indignados
The 75th anniversary of the return of the International Brigade’s British battalion from the Spanish Civil War will be celebrated with two events in east London on Saturday, 7 December....
New Edition of Land and Freedom
The ILP has published a new expanded edition of its popular Spanish Civil War pamphlet Land and Freedom, including a brief profile of the ILP volunteer Stafford Cottman written by historian and author Christopher Hall....
ILP@120: Stafford Cottman – ‘A warm and generous man’
CHRIS HALL recalls the life of a genuine, nice guy, ILPer and Spanish Civil War veteran Stafford Cottman. I feel very honoured to write a brief biography about Staff Cottman – ILP activist, Spanish Civil War veteran, socialist, internationalist, trade unionist, personal friend of George Orwell, Labour Party activist, and a genuine, nice guy....
In Spain with Orwell
BARRY WINTER reviews Chris Hall’s latest book on the ILP and the Spanish Civil War....