In the 1964 general election, the Conservative party candidate for the black country seat of Smethwick, Peter Griffiths, used an interesting slogan for his election campaign: “If you want an N word for a neighbour, vote Labour“. Woke snowflake that I am, I’ve sanitised the slogan for obvious reasons, but I think you get the drift. Despite the fact that Labour, nationally, won the election, Smethwick went blue and Griffiths became the MP. He didn’t regret the tone of the campaign, saying he “would not condemn any man who said that. I regard it as a manifestation of popular feeling.”
Following the count in the Smethwick constituency, the defeated Labour candidate Patrick Gordon Walker left the building, only to be greeted by Tory supporters shouting: “Where are your n*****s now, Walker?” and “Take your n*****s away!”
Nationally, the Labour Party condemned Griffiths, referring to a squalid campaign. Locallythough, it was, at least in part, the same grim story with Soundwell Youth Club, run by Labour councillor Ken Burns, operating a colour bar, as did the local Labour club. At least we’re not like that anymore, are we?
Tory MP Ben Bradley, in a party political broadcast, says that in Labour-run Councils “you’re more likely to have to wait behind non-British nationals for social housing“. Hmm. That will be behind black and brown people, won’t it? Can anyone explain to me how that’s different from Peter Griffiths’ campaign from 60 years ago? Obviously, no one can explain it because it isn’t any different.
What is very different is the make-up of recent governments who abhor migration. The current prime minister Rishi Sunak is the son of migrants. So is home secretary James Cleverly. So was Priti Patel, Sue-Ellen (Suella) Braverman, Kwasi Kwarteng. Horse-warmer and tax avoider Nadhim Zahawi was born in Baghdad. Christ, even former PM Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson was born in New York, but presumably he’s okay because he’s white. In the 1960s, he alone of this list would get past the colour bar.
Of course, with the Conservatives the truth is rather different. Lettings to ‘foreigners’ come to around 8% of the overall total but here’s a fun fact for you. A foreign national is far more likely to be building a new council house than getting one. In London for example, foreign nationals account for 40% of the construction of buildings workforce. If we want to build enough social housing for ‘our own’, as brainless gammons constantly say, we literally need ‘foreigners’ to help build them because there aren’t enough of ‘our own’ to do so. This and the obvious benefits to the economy of people paying more tax is well beyond the level of understanding of unprincipled populist politicians like Bradley and his bed-fellows on the far right.
The openly fascist British Movement, led by Colin Jordan, used the slogan, “Don’t vote – a vote for Tory, Labour or Liberal is a vote for more Blacks!” In tone and in reality, it is the same language used by Ben Bradley, it’s just that, sneakily, Bradley avoids referring to the colour of “non-British nationals”. But you absolutely know, beyond reasonable doubt, what he means. The words of the 1960s hidden only behind a transparent slogan.
Disturbingly, perhaps, Mr Bradley is only 34 years of age, much younger than you would expect someone of his vintage to share the views of people like Peter Griffiths, but that’s modern day Tory politics for you. Divide and rule, up the culture wars ante, blame everyone else for the Britain they broke.
In. 1986, Bruce Hornsby wrote about racism:
“Well, they passed a law in ’64To give those who ain’t got a little moreBut it only goes so farBecause the law don’t change another’s mindWhen all it sees at the hiring timeIs the line on the color bar.”
1964, then. A big year and not just in Smethwick. 2024 and the same thing is happening. But Hornsby said more:
“That’s just the way it isSome things’ll never changeThat’s just the way it isAh, but don’t you believe them.”
Exactly. Don’t you believe them.
