Neil Kinnock’s We are democratic socialists. We care all the time… speech has been delivered by Ashley Walters as part of a major new digital film project launched by the Almeida Theatre.
Figures of Speech sees acclaimed actors delivering important speeches from history. One film will be released each day this week, beginning with Ashley Walters speaking the words of Neil Kinnock: “We are democratic socialists. We care all the time…”
The speech was initially delivered by Kinnock as he attempted to rebuild the Labour Party as leader, and many of its messages have poignant crossovers with today’s political landscape.
Here’s an excerpt:
When we speak of collective strength and collective freedom collectively achieved we are not fulfilling that nightmare that Mrs Thatcher tries to paint and all her predecessors try to saddle us with.
We’re not talking about uniformity, we’re not talking about regimentation, we’re not talking about conformity.
That’s their creed.
The uniformity of the dole queue, the regimentation of the unemployed young and their compulsory work schemes, the conformity of people who work in conditions and take orders and accept pay because of mass unemployment that they would laugh at in a free society with full employment.
Ring any bells?
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