It's been a long time since AVPS succumbed to meme fever, so when this one caught my eye I thought "why not?" This one is definitely for the politics anoraks.
First political experience During the 1987 general election my junior school hosted a mock election. As a 10 year old Tory boy I did Thatcher proud debating with the kids of local Labour luminaries and making sure no one gave the SDP/Liberal Alliance the time of day. I don't know if my efforts helped but the Tories romped home with a majority of 100+ votes!
First vote This will have been in 1995, by which time I'd left the cold dark heart of Conservatism far behind me and had become a Marxist thanks to life experience, A Level sociology and a year working in Derby Morrison's. In my village the local election was a straight up fight between the Tory stalwart and the dad of a girl at school I never particularly liked. But once I was in that booth the class consciousness kicked in and I duly put my cross next to Labour. (As an aside nearly everyone in my group of friends went and voted. The one who admitted to voting Tory was rightly branded a twat).
First demo I was a late comer to demonstrations but the first I went on was a bit of a monster. The summer of 1997 found me a very angry young Trot in the orbit of Workers' Power. I travelled with what must have been most of their membership to Amsterdam to take part in the People's March for Jobs (at least that's what I think it was called). I remember a turn out of around 50,000, Dutch coppers armed with some very big guns, stupid expensive beer prices and members of the proto-REVOLUTION group being assailed by the Sparts.
Last vote That would have been the European elections and council elections this year. I voted No2EU in the former and Labour in the latter - for want of anything better.
Last political activity Does booking a room for the last North Staffs TUC public meeting count? If not and discounting trade union and Stoke SP meetings, I suppose it has to be marching with the Shrewsbury 24.
Who to tag? How about Though Cowards Flinch, Harpymarx, The Daily (Maybe) and Proper Tidy to start the ball rolling.
Proper Tidy's done it too. And is that a ping back I see from Harpymarx?
ReplyDeleteFirst political experience Was going to a party wearing a long brown dress with yellow ric rac about 1974 or so because the Edinburgh Trades Council were sponsoring Chilean refugees. I started crying because I thought there would be monkeys at the party and there weren't any - sorry can't explain that!!
ReplyDeleteFirst vote I think it was 1990 - I voted for David Martin for MEP! Why because he was Labour and who else would I vote fro. It was a rather boring vote! In 1992 I voted Alaistair Darling and really believed the Tories would be defeated - I was heart broken when they weren't - like crying and everything!!
First demo Was to support the Alton Bill!!!! Sorry I was a pro lifer back then. I think the next demo was against the Poll Tax!!
Last vote I voted SSP during the Euro election -I have voted socialist since 1993 - yippeee, lucky me!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the local council elections I voted for me as the local SSP candidate - it was a futile effort!
Last political activity Attending the Abortion Rights Edinburgh meeting! Making up for going on the Alton Bill in the 80s.
Also done.
ReplyDeleteYes, have done the meme as well...
ReplyDeleteAn ex-Tory boy?
ReplyDeleteOH THE SHAME OF IT!
In my defence I was brought up in a working class Tory household and started changing my mind shortly after John Major was re-elected in 1992!
ReplyDeleteAfter that election I very nearly joined the Tories. If I had things could have turned out very different ...
ex-tory boy?
ReplyDeletewhere we you in '87 to get a 100 plus majority? Mole Valley?
Nearly! Amber Valley. It went NuLab in '97 after a couple of decades under the thumb of Philip Oppenheimer. My mum was really chuffed when he canvassed our house in '92.
ReplyDelete