Walter worth shouting about

Published: 20 January, 2011
by JOHN GULLIVER

ED Miliband made a darting reference on Saturday at a Bloomsbury conference to members of the Labour Representation Committee (LRC) who met more than a century ago to found the party.

Less than a mile away I dropped in at another LRC gathering, set up principally by left MPs John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn to take Labour back to its founding principles.

Sharp exchanges were made between party members who felt local authorities like Camden and Islington had little choice than to implement government cuts and those who believed they should be less compliant.

While Camden councillors gave the conference a miss, Islington’s Charlynne Pullen defended her council’s policy which is broadly similar to Camden’s.

Outspoken against his own union, George Binette , Unison chief at the Town Hall, attacked it for it’s “craven support of New Labour”. He wanted Camden to unequivocally oppose Osborne’s cuts.

It was a bit like an old-style Labour party conference – and all pretty predictable.

But my eye was caught by a marvellous speaker, Walter Wolfgang, now in his mid-80s, who spoke passionately about nuclear disarmament.

Mr Wolfgang, who lives in the Golders Green area, spoke clearly and in whole sentences, an example to younger politicos.

Walter, you may recall, was forcibly ejected from a Labour party conference several years ago when he shouted “nonsense” during a speech by Jack Straw.

A moment of shame for Labour.