MPs tell Miliband to get a grip after miners snub

MPs at a lively meeting of the Parliamentary Morning Star Readers and Supporters Group expressed their sense of shame at Mr Miliband's snub.

With miners' MP Ian Lavery in the chair, the meeting gave a warm welcome to Durham Miners Association general secretary Dave Hopper.

Mr Hopper highlighted the huge national significance of the annual gala, which attracted over 100,000 people last July despite torrential rain.

He voiced bitter disappointment at Mr Miliband's decision to renege on his promise to speak at the gala, using the excuse that he could not share a platform with rail union RMT leader Bob Crow.

Mr Hopper said of Mr Miliband: "It was his downfall, and his mistake, because there were 100,000 people there.

"It is about time that people at the top of our party realise how significant and how big an event it is," declared Mr Hopper.

"We are asking for our leader to go and pay homage to the people up there.

"The people deserve to see the Labour leader. It is our party, the party that was formed by the trade unions."

Mr Lavery launched a discussion on ways to increase the circulation of the Morning Star within Parliament.

Mr Hopper immediately offered to pay for a regular supply of Morning Stars to the group of miners' MPs. "I will do anything I can to support the Morning Star," he said.

Bolsover MP Dennis Skinner urged Mr Miliband to go and speak to the huge mass of working people at the annual gala, people yearning for hope and inspiration.

Mr Skinner, who delivered a vintage performance at this year's gala, said he had sought to "make them laugh, make them cry and make them think.

"That is what Ed should be doing," he said.

Ex-miner Mr Skinner said he would never forget how the Morning Star "kept us going during the strike of 1984-5 and enabled us to carry on."

Left MP John McDonnell sparked a discussion on how the labour movement can connect with the new wave of militancy among young people as exemplified by the anti-capitalist protesters at St Paul's Cathedral.

He suggested that representatives of direct action groups such as UK Uncut should be invited to next year's Durham gala.

Mr McDonnell is promoting an early day motion in support of the anti-capitalist demos, and has visited St Paul's along with several other MPs, including Kelvin Hopkins - who was also present at the Star supporters' meeting.

Gateshead MP Ian Mearns told the meeting that Labour's response to young people's anger had been "poor."

"We have got to have an agenda for young people which is a bit more radical and a bit more hopeful," he said.

"Otherwise there are other people out there who will attract them in and then spit them out."

rogerbagley@peoples-press.com