May Day – Croydon – 30.4.2016

Around a hundred people gathered together at the bottom of Croydon High Street to celebrate May Day – which is in essence an International Working Class celebration of ‘Labour’ as a means to preserve and transform the world.  The Communist Party of Britain (CPB) was joined by a number of Trade Unionists, Socialists, Social Activists, Concerned Citizens, and other Leftwing Sympathisers.  It was particularly pleasing to see Disability Against the Cuts (DPAC) who marched next to the Red Flag.  The March was led by tartan-clad men and women – who played the bagpipes and drums – through the centre of Croydon and to Ruskin House – the Trade Union and Communist Party of Britain Headquarters.  There was food and drink for those attending – with a strong showing from the ‘Keep Our St Helier Hospital’ (KOSHH).  An excellent speech was made by Dr Philip Howard – an important Member of the British Medical Association (BMA) and an NHS Consultant within the NHS – who explained how the Tory (and LibDems) had ‘privatised’ the NHS in 2012, and how this had become ‘Law’ in 2013.  He stated that was in fact an ‘honour’ and a ‘privilege’ to treat people for free at the point of use, simply because it is ‘right’ to do so.  He also mention how around four million ‘Carers’ live in the UK carrying-out full-time care for sick or disabled relatives – for ‘free’ – and that these good people save the British government around four billion pounds per years in medical costs.  I would like to thank our Comrades – Dr Martin Graham and Mr Ben Stevenson of the CPB for their warm welcome and erudite conversation.  I would also like to thank the ‘random’ Southern Irish gentleman who approached me in the street – claiming to be ‘English’ and stating that I was 40 years too late (as he was labouring under the misapprehension that the Soviet Union had collapsed in in 1976!)  As part of my family are from Southern Ireland I know the accent when I hear it.  This gentleman was very disconcerted when I asked what part of ‘Southern Ireland’ he was from, and what he thought of the brave Irish men and women who took part in the 1916 Easter Uprising  under the Socialist Red Flag (that essentially led to Eire’s freedom).  He mumbled something about ‘Stalin’, and ‘North Korea’ before wondering off into the crowds!