1983

I'd joined the Labour Party in 1983 partly as a result of what happened during the Falklands War. I was disgusted that life could become so cheap in the name of winning an election. Thatcher had led the Argentinean government into believing that the UK would not defend the Falklands, and then the massive operation to take them back became a patriotic call of arms to the British - wartime spirit - must not criticise "our boys", etc. I saw the worst face of our establishment - illegally sinking a ship which killed hundreds and then gloating over their deaths – were not their boys worth the same as our boys?

So I joined the Labour Party when I probably should have joined the local anarchist group. This was the first step to my political disillusionment. The Labour Party was not at all democratic - the membership were well to the left of the leadership, and always had been.

In 1983 Labour lost the election. It was inevitable after the pro US group of MPs had been encouraged from across the Atlantic to split from the LP and form their own party - the SDP. It was pathetic really but somehow the not at all biased press got behind them and touted them for government!!

I had my O Levels in 1983 - and juggled studying for them with helping to campaign for Labour - but of course the exams took precedence. I thought Labour's manifesto was the best political document I'd ever read - it was green and socialist. Only realised years later that the party leadership had given the left a free hand in writing this manifesto in order to deliberately lose the election...and to be done with the left wing for good as a result. Blair's New Labour was born here.

my art "O" Level - which I was allowed to paint at home. 

Maybe the one single record that had the biggest influence on me ever. It was, to use a word that I was soon to hate, eclectic. 

Leisure Hive Convention

that's me on the left