Letter: The voice of the provinces (1936)

Letter to the Editors from the July 1936 issue of the Socialist Standard

We have received the following letter from readers in Liverpool. Other readers may have something useful to say on the question raised.

“We notice that the S.P.G.B. was founded in 1904, which fact presupposes many years of consistent political interest in London.

“Despite the years which have intervened, however, your contact and influence in the principal industrial centres in the provinces, where it would be expected conditions would have produced the strongest support for your party, remains practically negligible. 

“It would be interesting to hear the considered opinions of your London members on this matter, and equally too the views of provincial members and sympathisers. Should sufficient interest be shown by the correspondence which this enquiry may provoke, we hope it may be found possible for your E.C. to arrange a few special meetings for provincials in London, say, on Sunday evenings, timed to fit in with the many half-day excursions from the provinces.

“Anyway, we are of the opinion that for independent thinking and resolute revolutionary aspirations, the average provincial can make circles round the politically interested London worker. In the provinces London is referred to as a political cesspool. Does this explain why most of the big 'stars' in the Labour world' are the chosen leaders in the provinces ?” .

Yours for Socialism,

“PROVINCIALS.”