STEVEN ANDREW is moved beyond words by a historical account of mining in Britain made from the words of the miners themselves

Is Socialism Possible in Britain? Reflections on the Corbyn years
By Andrew Murray
Verso £14.99
THE answer to Andrew Murray’s rhetorical title is, of course, yes, but the really pertinent question is, when? Given the defenestration of Jeremy Corbyn coupled with the extinguished hopes of the many, it could be a long wait.
Hardly anyone is better placed — he was special political adviser for the leader of the opposition — to analyse and explain the Corbyn phenomenon than Murray, so this book is to be warmly welcomed.
With his lifelong activist background, his role as co-chair of Stop the War and his strong association with the trade union movement, becoming chief of staff at Unite, together with his advisory role to the leader’s office under Jeremy Corbyn, he has gained a unique perspective on that era.

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