Delving into ANL history

Not only was the ANL one of the largest and most successful campaigns of the post-war British left, it was unique in that it was a cultural as well as political phenomenon.

Not only did it unite a previously fragmented left but it also brought reformists and revolutionaries together to actively address the fast-emerging National Front threat.

Furthermore, there may, ultimately, have been more youngsters than trade unionists involved - the subsequent birth of Rock Against Racism highlighted the immense cross-cultural resonance of a movement which made an impact far beyond the scope of politics.

This comprehensive and thoroughly researched ethnography underscores the unique and compelling nature of a campaign that - like punk rock - "contained an energy that had a tendency to step outside the moment of its birth."

Renton is quick to state that, "as a teenager growing up in 1980s Britain, I found that punk music spoke to me in a way that nothing else could."

Emphasising the opposition to fascism at street level, his findings meticulously recall what was a volatile period in detail so vivid that the inclusion of a chronology is hardly necessary.

His exploration of the uncertain social and political climate at the time places this history at the centre of a fascinating wider context that delves as far back as 1967, the year of the National Front's formation.

Who could forget the death of Blair Peach and the overwhelming media hostility following the ANL opposition to the National Front's 1977 march through Lewisham?

Political instability and police brutality feature throughout this frank account, which, arguably, fuelled the anger that led to anti-fascist success.

Due credit is given to the terminally unfashionable SWP for their swift and instrumental role in organising and developing the mass response to the National Front menace.

Renton highlights the ways in which the ANL adopted the SWP political style, at least in part, along with a consideration of the origins of ANL propaganda and tactics.

By placing his work in direct contrast to related studies, Renton justifies his research in firm response to the findings and criticisms of others, making the preface a rich source of wider reading.

Credible and compelling, this is an outstanding account of one of the most fascinating and complex periods in British sociopolitical history.

MIKE ROBERTS