Militant

by Michael Crick

When it was originally published in 1984, Michael Crick's treatise on the Militant tendency was widely acclaimed as a masterly work of investigative journalism, and although the rise of Jeremy Corbyn can be attributed more to the phenomenon of 'Corbynmania' than to hard-left entrism, to some within the party, Crick's ground-breaking book must seem like a lesson from history.Updated and expanded, Crick explores the origins, organisation and aims of Militant, the secret Trotskyite organisation that operated clandestinely within the Labour Party, edging out adversaries at grass-roots level and recruiting people to its own ranks, which, at its peak in the mid-1980s, swelled to around 8,000 members. Whilst eventually most of its leaders were expelled, it caused damaging rifts within the party and closed the door to Downing Street for almost a generation.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History

550 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 1984

About the author

Michael Crick (born 21 May 1958) is an English journalist, author and broadcaster.

Born in Northampton, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School and New College, Oxford, where he got a first class degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). At Oxford he was editor of one of the student newspapers, Cherwell, founded the Oxford Handbook and the Oxbridge Careers Handbook, and was president of the Oxford Union.

He specialises in politics, and appeared as a regular reporter on BBC Two's Newsnight. In March 2007, he was appointed the programme's political editor.

In 2003, under heavy pressure from the preparation of the Hutton Report, it refused to show Crick's report for Newsnight into 'Betsygate', the alleged misuse of public funds by the private office of former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith and supposed payments to his wife Betsy for work she did not do. Crick referred the case to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Sir Philip Mawer and the Duncan Smiths were cleared of any impropriety.

In the 2005 general election, it was observed that the five most terrifying words in the political lexicon were "Michael Crick is in reception".

He has also reported for Channel 4 News and Panorama, and has appeared on Have I Got News For You. He is known as the unofficial biographer and nemesis of Jeffrey Archer. Margaret Crick, his estranged wife, published a biography of Archer's wife Mary in 2005.

A keen supporter of Manchester United, he has written several books on the team as well as his literary political works. In 1998-99 he was the organiser of the Shareholders United Against Murdoch campaign which successfully opposed BSkyB's proposed takeover of United. He later served as Vice-Chairman of Shareholders United.

He lives with his partner Lucy Hetherington and they have a baby girl called Isabel. He also has an older daughter from his previous marriage. On 24 February 2008, the News of the World newspaper reported that he had a six month affair with Jeanette Eccles a former BBC researcher. The paper ridiculed Crick for presenting himself as moral crusader, while his own behaviour had been unethical. He was also criticised for trying to prevent the publication of the story on the grounds of privacy, while he making a living from exposing the wrong doings of others.

Crick, a known Labour supporter, is known for his investigations of Conservative politicians and followed then Tory leader, Michael Howard around during the 2005 election campaign as part of his research for his biography of Howard, published the same year. Since then, Crick has investigated Conservative Party Chairman, Caroline Spelman for abuse of expenses.

Reviews

[Ashlyn L · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would’ve been a much better account if the author’s loathing of Militant hadn’t been obvious in every sentence.

[Jon Peder Grønsveen Opsahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first learned about the Militant movement when visiting Liverpool during the summer of 2018. I picked up this book to learn more about it's history. The book has a lot of good information, but because it originally came out in the 1980s alot of the information is outdated. The 2016 Afterword does a bit to update the reader of what has happened since, but you still need to know quite a bit about British political history to understand everything. I think people who lived through the times described in the book have more enjoyment of it. The time line in the book is some times confusing, jumping back and forth. I still enjoyed reading it though and do now feel I know a lot more about Militant than before I read it.

[Matt Pound · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched and readable account of the UK’s most successful Trotskyist entryist Party. An absolute must read for anyone involved or interested in politics, particularly if you are on the Left or active in the wider Labour movement.

[Daniel Clemence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michael Crick's Militant is insightful information into an organisation which was detrimental to the Labour Party. The book presents itself as a first hand account of what Militant was like as a movement was like. Set in the present tense, it offered an insight into the movement including its ideology, what it did and the effects of the movement.

The first part of the book involved looking at the Left in general. The Far-Left appeared to be ineffective in gathering support in the party although there were some high profile names in the Labour Far-Left. These include Denis Healey. On the whole, the Far-Left never really dominated the Labour Party.
Likewise, Michael Crick presents that Liverpool as a Right-wing city which was dominated by Protestant sectarianism. The Liverpool Labour Party was a Right-wing party because of the Catholics in the city.

The policies of Militant were surprisingly portrayed as quite similar to Labour. Militant wanted complete nationalisation of the economy, which was more radical than Labour and jobs for all. On policing, Militant wanted a democratically controlled policing which isn't that dissimilar to police and crime commissioner elections which were a Tory policy. They did support mandatory reselection. The most controversial policies was the pacifism and sort democratic control of media. They also supported a "socialist federation in Europe" .

Militant was portrayed as religious in its pursuits. The organisation controlled its members in how they dressed, whether they could smoke or drink. Operations were launched to attempt to halt Militant including "Operation Icepick".

Militant ran a careful operation in raising funds including publishing. I found the most interesting part of the book being about Militant's connection with overseas. Militant had contacts in South Africa, Chile, Spain, Sweden, Ireland and Sri Lanka of all places. In many ways, Militant had the tendencies of a cult focusing on winning new members and promoting obscure ideas over really improving the lives of people.

The book looked at Militant in Merseyside where it caused immeasurable damage to the city. It even took religious leaders to get involved in saying that Militant undermined the council operations. Liverpool was not dominated by Labour but Militant caused damage there.

The book overall gives an interesting view of Militant and how they impacted politics in Britain.

[Craig Hatton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched and a very good example of investigative journalism. The book is of it’s time having been written in the 1980s but it provides a good understanding of Militant and how the tendency was formed. It’s update to current times is very limited largely due to Militant having little relevancy and having rebranded as the Socialist Party and with it’s most influential members still banned from the Labour Party. It’s content especially on Liverpool is excellent though a couple of chapters on process and finances were a little tough going. Overall an interesting and informative source of information about an area where little is written

[Wren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst Crick's bias is obvious he does highlight many true shortcomings of Militant that their modern iterations and splits deny. I find his interviews with members incredibly telling, when it comes to the cult of personality which was later developed around some of the members.

Make no mistake, Michael Crick is hardly a left winger, especially now, but on some level one must realize the truth behind a large portion of his criticism and wonder why the Ted Grant camp/Peter Taaffe camp are both still in denial about much of their history and mistakes in order to justify the current existence of their respective sects.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting period in Labour’s history. The book is very detailed, with some pretty dry information on party organisation; but tbh the actual workings of Militant (ie entryism into the Labour Party) were inherently quite boring bureaucratic tactics. The left failed in the 70s and 80s, and now again with Corbyn. I wonder when they will return to prominence again...

[Sian A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather dry in places but overall a readable and highly interesting account of the saga of Trotskyist infiltration of the Labour Party. Most intriguing to me the passages explicitly comparing Militant to a religious cult.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a powerful insight in to an important period in Labour's recent history. For those of us not yet born it opens the curtain on some of the very extant organisational neurosis around the wider movement regarding 'entryists'

[Ken · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Alex Margolies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting to read, especially in terms of Momentum...

[Iain Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it really useful to understand how socialist party and SWP operate

[Jonathan Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read most of this but skipped a couple of chapters on finance and internal organisation, etc.

Crick has got good value for money out of this book, having managed to get it published three times. Its account of all the ins and outs in the relations between the People's Front of Judea and the Judean People's Front in UK hard-left politic of the 70s is frankly tedious (I can only imagine how tedious it must have been to actually care about such meaningless distinctions), but its account of Militant at work in Liverpool in the mid-80s is a useful corrective to the pious Marxist platitudes of Peter Taafe's Liverpool: A City that Dared to Fight.