It looks as if this video clip is not available online yet.
Use the enquiry button on the right and we’ll get back to you to discuss the quickest way for you to view it.
Programme presented by Jon Lander. In the first film report Rob Whitehouse asks if the TUC and Labour party will recognise the Nottinghamshire break-away miners union, the UDM. We see a wide shot of Mansfield town centre, the exterior of a local colliery, the local Labour MP Don Concannon walking his dog and the exterior of the Nottinghamshire NUM headquarters. Whitehouse interviews Concannon who is sponsored by the NUM but is loyal to the Nottinghamshire miners who want the UDM. Whitehouse also talks to Nottinghamshire miners official Mike Prendergast who says that the calls for a break-away union are growing in other areas too.
In the next film report Mark Astaire looks at the history of Communist involvement in British politics. We see Harold Marsh, who was a Communist at the Austin works at Longbridge in the 1930s, visiting the birthplace of Tom Mann in Coventry. Mann (1856-1941) was a founder of both the Amalgamated Engineering Union and the British Communist Party. Harold Marsh is interviewed about the history of the movement and Astaire also talks to Tricia Davies who is on the national executive of the Communist Party about the modern party. We see library pictures of car production in the 1970s and an exterior of Longbridge followed by stills of union officials who had Communist links: Dick Etheridge; Derek Robinson; and Jack Adams. After library picture of a picket line during the recent miners strike we see an exterior of the Morning Star office. Inside Astaire interviews the Editor, Tony Chater about on-going arguments between Soviet style traditionalists and modern Marxists. We then see a meeting of the Dudley Communist Party taking place in a house and there are vox pops with members and an interview with Communist Mark Perryman who is also seen jogging.
Next Rob Whitehouse rounds up the latest political news. This includes a short studio interview with the Conservative MP for Birmingham Yardley, David Gilroy-Bevan about the future benefits of the International Convention Centre in Birmingham. There is also a studio interview with the Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, John Golding about salmon poaching, and with the Conservative MP for Meriden, Iain Mills who proposes removing some duties from immigration staff.
Finally on film Rob Whitehouse talks to the political columnist Simon Hoggart about his new book. Hoggart tells anecdotes about Midlands MPs who are illustrated with stills.
Presented by Jon Lander
Production Team: Rob Whitehouse; Mark Astaire; Danielle Pettit
Film Editor: David Furmage
Graphics: Phill Dunn
Director: Roger Neale
Editor: Mart Gottschalk
Production number 5649/85.