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SHADOW foreign secretary Hilary Benn’s “specious” evocation of the International Brigades’ heroism as justification for Britain joining the aerial bombardment of Syria provoked outrage yesterday.
Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday night, Mr Benn sought to draw parallels between the fight against fascism in the 1930s and ’40s and the case for further British military action against the Islamic State (Isis) terrorist group.
Mr Benn said: “We are here faced by fascists — not just their calculated brutality, but their belief that they are superior to every single one of us in the chamber tonight, and the people we represent.
![Richard Baxell speaking at the Marx Memorial Library in London [Pic: Karl Weiss]](https://msd11.gn.apc.org/sites/default/files/styles/desktop/public/2026-07/RichardBaxell22Jul23.jpeg.webp?itok=HCh8iPRb)
Driven by anti-fascism and anger at Britain’s policy of non-intervention, thousands volunteered to fight in the Spanish civil war. Historian RICHARD BAXELL reflects on their sacrifices and enduring significance
MAXINE PEAKE says the warnings of the International Brigades ring true today
![Helen Oclee-Brown at the International Brigade memorial in London in 2025 [Pic: Andrew Wiard]](https://msd11.gn.apc.org/sites/default/files/styles/desktop/public/2026-07/HelenOcleeBrownAndrewWiard.jpg.webp?itok=Im3v5bH2)
HELEN OCLEE-BROWN on keeping alive the memory and spirit of the Brigaders
CJ ATKINS commemorates one of the most dramatic moments in working-class history