In solidarity, under suspicion: The British far left from 1956

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In solidarity, under suspicion

The British far left from 1956

Edited by: and

Language: English

Published/Copyright: 2025

About this book

In solidarity, under suspicion is the successor volume to Against the grain (2014) and Waiting for the revolution (2017), complementing analysis of the far left in Britain from 1956 until the present. In addition to new scholarship on hitherto under-researched groups and movements, the volume explores recent findings from the Undercover Policing Inquiry and provides historical context for developments in the British left during and after ‘Corbynism’. Chapters consider the far left’s relationship to the state as well as to the Labour Party, and highlights attempts by far-left groups and activists both to intervene internationally and to transform themselves. With a range of different perspectives – activist and academic – In solidarity, under suspicion draws out the distinct ways that different far left groups and movements have responded to problems which remain salient today.

Author / Editor information

Contributor: Evan Smith Matthew Worley is Professor of Modern History at the University of Reading

Topics

Publicly Available

Front Matter
i

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Contents
v

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Contributors
vii

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Acknowledgements
xi

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Introduction
1
Daniel Frost and Evan Smith

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I Against the State
15

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1 Undercover policing of the left, 1968–82
17
Chris Brian

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2 ‘Secret and delicate sources’
44
Rosie Wild and Eveline Lubbers

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3 Shot by both sides? The foundation of the Institute for Workers’ Control and its critics on the left and right
67
Ieuan Franklin and Alan Tuckman

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4 From the SLL to the WRP
94
Aidan Beatty

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5 Anti-statism and the trajectory from the Revolutionary Communist Party to Spiked
118
Evan Smith

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II Worlds transformed
139

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6 Trades councils and the December The Sixth Group
141
Hazel Perry

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7 ‘Organising to win’
163
Kerrie McGiveron

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8 Socialist-feminist revival in the Merseyside Women’s Liberation Movement
182
Rachel Collett

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9 ‘Black and white, unite and fight’? Black Power and the British radical left, 1965–79
212
Alfie Hancox

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III Beyond borders
237

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10 ‘Let the people of Malaya rule their own country!’
239
Armand Azra bin Azlira

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11 British Maoists, China and the Cold War in the 1970s
262
Neil Redfern

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12 British Marxism and the coup in Chile
287
Owen Dowling

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13 Difficult solidarities
317
Jack Hepworth

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IV Breaking and entering
341

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14 From rupture to retreat
343
Azfar Shafi and Ilyas Nagdee

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15 Inside out, outside in
376
Nicolas Sigoillot

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16 Finally moving on? The Socialist Labour Party and the search for an electoral alternative to New Labour
398
Alfie Steer

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17 Researching left-wing activism (after 1956) during and after Corbynism
431
Daniel Frost

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Index
460

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Publishing information

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

eBook published on:

November 18, 2025

eBook ISBN:

9781526179609

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526179609

eBook ISBN: 9781526179609

Keywords for this book

British far left; solidarity; Undercover Policing Inquiry; Black Power; Marxism; activism; Black radicalism; Women’s Liberation Movement; Labour Party; trade unionism

Audience(s) for this book

For an expert adult audience, including professional development and academic research

Manchester University Press

In solidarity, under suspicion

Overview

About this book

Author / Editor information

Topics

Table of contents

Front Matter

Contents

Contributors

Acknowledgements

Introduction

I Against the State

1 Undercover policing of the left, 1968–82

2 ‘Secret and delicate sources’

3 Shot by both sides? The foundation of the Institute for Workers’ Control and its critics on the left and right

4 From the SLL to the WRP

5 Anti-statism and the trajectory from the Revolutionary Communist Party to Spiked

II Worlds transformed

6 Trades councils and the December The Sixth Group

7 ‘Organising to win’

8 Socialist-feminist revival in the Merseyside Women’s Liberation Movement

9 ‘Black and white, unite and fight’? Black Power and the British radical left, 1965–79

III Beyond borders

10 ‘Let the people of Malaya rule their own country!’

11 British Maoists, China and the Cold War in the 1970s

12 British Marxism and the coup in Chile

13 Difficult solidarities

IV Breaking and entering

14 From rupture to retreat

15 Inside out, outside in

16 Finally moving on? The Socialist Labour Party and the search for an electoral alternative to New Labour

17 Researching left-wing activism (after 1956) during and after Corbynism

Index

Bibliographic data