Despite being an enormous enthusiast of Labour history, I was surprised by this pamphlet about the MP, Bessie Braddock (1899-1970). While its subtitle is her ‘Life and Work’, it is more an essay on her loves (husband Jack, Liverpool, boxing and entertainers) and hates (Stalin, the CP, Michael Foot and alcohol) with hardly a word of her achievements whether in parliament (saving a glancing reference to the 1959 Mental Health Act), on the NEC or during her extensive career on the city council.

This larger-than-life woman, devoted to and adored by her constituents, fought for her brand of socialism with vigour, conviction and dedication whether on the NEC, the council (where she was a member for over 30 years) or in parliament. Bred to a love of Dickens, concern for the poor, trade union activity, feminism and socialism by her formidable Scottish mother Mary Bamber and sustained by her prop, agent, fellow councillor and adored husband, this former leftwinger railed against the Kremlin centralism of the Communist party to which she’d once belonged, Bevanism and the CND, and became the right’s enforcer and defender. She knew her local people and distrusted factions, centralism and criticism of the Labour party leadership. She remained loyal to her beliefs even at personal cost. Ben Rees’ tract describes her environment, family and background, but leaves one hungry for a more rounded picture of the woman we know from the sung refrain: ‘Vote Vote Vote for Bessie Braddock’ and her statue at Lime Street station – a true character of Liverpool.

—————————————————————————————

Dianne Hayter is a Labour peer and former chair of the NEC

—————————————————————————————

D. Ben Rees, A Portrait of Battling Bessie, Leen Editions, 2011, 56pp, £5.99