It was a brand new experience for me today. I'm ashamed to say that I have never been down to Tolpuddle to commemorate/celebrate the trade union martyrs from the small Dorset village who were deported to Australia. Their crime? Trying to organise a trade union!
Part of the weekend experience of the festival is apparently to camp on the site. I don't do camping so there is no prospect of me (or thankfully Kate) wanting to partake of this particular delight (?). The rain, wind and cold that followed us all the way on the drive from Oxford down to Tolpuddle merely served to confirm my prejudice against camping. Having said this I have to say that I have really been missing something all these years in never having enjoyed this festival. It's a fantastic experience!
Lots of trade unionists gathered together to freely debate the key issues facing the working class and, probably as importantly, to enjoy each other company, was a joy.
I had the great honour of speaking in a debate on the NHS alongside John Healey, the Shadow Health Secretary and a colleague from the Royal College of Midwives (sorry I can't remember her name). My basic message was the same as it always is to any trade union audience on any of the challenges that we face - we must organise.
For some time I have been quoting the great Alice Walker to trade union audiences by reminding everyone that there are no knights in shining armour waiting to come to our rescue but that "we are the ones we have been waiting for!"
I also took the opportunity to remind all those who had camped out the night before that they had missed the first opportunity to see the latest Harry Potter film but that while they were busy getting wet and cold I had indeed done so. I told them that it was a great film and they should see it. There was a key lesson for us from the film in that Harry had to organise collectively to win. If even a wizard had to organise then we certainly have to!
Go see the film! Go to the next Tolpuddle festival! Go out and organise!
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