Organisers of the non-profit organisation Merthyr Rising received a throng of hundreds sporting red shirts on 5th August (after being rescheduled from the 4th), as people came from far and wide to see and hear Jeremy Corbyn speak to the public about his restless policies, his strong ambitions for the party and his long-standing respect for Kier Hardie and all those that have continually shown the Labour Party support.
The Wiltshire-born Labour leader, and international human rights campaigner, has almost trebled the support of the Labour party in the last year, with the numbers rising from 200,000 in the last general election to a staggering 540,000 and still persistently rising.
Councillor Margaret Davies invited Unite executive member, Ivan Monckton, PCS Wales Secretary, Shavanah Taj and former leader of Tower Colliery, Tyrone O’Sullivan to the microphone, all verbally illustrating that the man they had all gathered to see, was a man of the people and someone who understood the concept of “need before greed”.
Each delivering speeches that roused and inspired, the finale proceeded with the 67 year old activist greeting the square from the decorated centre balcony of the late Victorian Redhouse cymru arts centre, before making his way down to the raised platform provided.
Regardless of Mr Corbyn being the only national Labour figure to visit the Port Talbot Steelworks when the possible closure announcements were made, the steelworkers’ union community have decided to put their faith in Pontypridd’s constituency leader Owen Smith in Labour’s leadership race.
The Fire Brigades Union however, had chosen to back the current leader and remained present as Mr Corbyn addressed the crowd, complimenting the artistic talents development by commenting that “we are not just economic beings, we are also social beings. We are people that want our children to grow up, not afraid of their own imagination or their artistic and cultural skills”.
The historical events in relation to the Merthyr Uprising in 1831 were an enormous event with the demonstration amassing in the thousands, all supporting reform against inexcusable working and living conditions due to a depression caused by the iron industry and severe wage cuts.
He stated that the nameless faces should “show support for the campaign”, aiming to clear Dic Penderyn’s name of an unjust death penalty issued during the protest, and the importance of equal rights for men and women alike.
Concluding with a promise that his intentions are “to bring people in, in the whole spirit and strength of a Labour movement that unites everybody and does not blame minorities” along with a
rendition of the socialist and left-winged anthem The Red Flag by Irish political activist Jim Connell, Jeremy took time to take photographs with members of the public and reassured them that his ideas of placing the working class as representatives of the party in to parliament had not become tarnished.
On 8th August, the high court ruled that the NEC was not within its rights to restrict Labour members selection for the leadership and have now withdrawn the £25 charge previously allocated to legally vote. The election will conclude with a Leadership Conference on 24 September 2016.
words and photos NATHAN ROACH