The opening speaker, Alan Stewart (Convenor of Wakefield Socialist History Group) spoke about Orwell's time in Barnsley researching material for his book, 'Road to Wigan Pier'. Orwell went down the pit, inspected housing and wittnessed a Mosley rally in the Civic Hall.
Brian Bamford (Secretary of Tameside TUC) made a spirited defence of Orwell against the criticism of Paul Preston. Brian insisted that 'Homage to Catalonia' showed the 'true nature of war as a participant.'
Robin Stocks (author of 'Hidden Heros of Easter Week') focused in particular on the Barcelona May Days. He noted that Orwell had been barricaded in the Hotel Falcon with the POUM leadership. He added that POUM was an anti-Stalinist party that wanted the revolution to be 'continued, not watered down'. It had links with the ILP in Britain and Orwell had had joined them after being given a letter of introduction by Fenner Brockway.
Granville Williams (former Editor of 'Free Press') argued that Orwell had been committed to a classless, egalitarian society to the very end. His attachment to socialism was undiminished. But he was appropriated by the right during the Cold War. They used Orwell to bolster their argument that socialism inevitably led to totalitarianism.
Les Hurst (Orwell Society) noted that, despite attacks from the Communist arty, even in the 1930s many people wanted to read Orwell. There was 'so much reality in what he wrote.'
The final speaker, Quitin Kopp, spoke movingly about his father, George Kopp, who was Orwell's POUM commander in Spain. George Kopp went to Spain to fight fascism and did so bravely.
However he was then imprisoned by the NKVD in appalling conditions.
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