It was in the year of ‘76.
Myself and several hundred others were on a London bound train. We were
going to protest against the latest cuts in the health service. I was
not long a member of the CP and YCL I had been in long enough however
to realise who the enemy was. Not the bourgeoisie! Not the Tories ! Not
even the Labour government! No the enemy was the Trots and in particular
the WRP.
I was going through the train selling the Morning Star when I spotted
Bill and three of his comrades. Taking a deep breath I launched myself
forward.
‘Do you want to buy a copy of the daily paper of the working class
instead of one of those pale imitations?’ I said, motioning at a
copy of the Workers Press.
Well, I might as well have put my head in the lion’s jaws. For
the next 30 minutes, though it seemed much longer, I stood unable to flee.
I took the rap for everything that Stalin and his cronies did. I got the
blame for the Molotov/Ribbentrop Pact, the sell-out of the Spanish revolution,
the invasion of Hungary and many, many other heinous crimes. Eventually
somebody called out to Bill and I got the chance to escape.
I learned a lesson in humility that day. I learned also not to pick an
argument with Bill Hunter. Maybe one day he will mellow a bit and I can
try for a rematch??????
Terry Egan: from the booklet celebrating
Bill's 80th Birthday. |