Reading across the spectrum

As readers will know by now I do read a lot of the left-wing press to see what they are up to. In part this is out of sheer academic interest as a veteran "Trot Spotter" and also because it is necessary to keep an eye on their activities.

I spent four decades in the trade unions first as a part of the far left and ended up an opponent in the second half of my sojourn. Reading their publications, magazines and books has always been a part of my life as has looking at literature from elsewhere.

Over the weekend I will be consuming two quite different political tracts. The first which arrived in the post yesterday is The Salisbury Review, a magazine of conservative thought as it describes itself. I've already dipped in and find myself both agreeing and disagreeing with some of the contents.

This shows me that I have grown more "conservative" over the years, certainly far from the left-wing idealist I once was many years ago. I think this is a natural trend as most of my peers have gone the same way. There are one or two "oldies" that stick at it but on the whole people are no longer interested in revolution or conflict and just want fair play and a little more fairness in society.

Which will be at the back of my mind when I read Paul Flewers latest essay in Critique which is an analysis of Issac Deutcher's three Volume biography of Leon Trotsky. I trust Paul's fairness in doing so not just because he's a mate of mine but also Paul does like to get things "right and always has something interesting to say.

Too many people have a habit of only reading stuff they know they are going to agree with. I come across a lot of closed minds on Facebook. So if you fancy tucking into something completely different here's links to the websites of the two publications mentioned in my article.

Go to: www.salisburyreview.com and/or www.tandfonline.com

And Finally: I was a great fan of Cat Stevens back in the seventies so here to start your weekend is a song oldies like me will recall and hopefully appeal to the younger generation.