On behalf of Reading Trades Union Council, UNISON activist Antoinette Solera remembers with fondness Harry's wisdom, charm - and sense of struggle - during his two visits to Reading:
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| Harry addressing listeners in his second visit to Reading, 2016 |
In October 2014 our branch secretary Pat Kenny laid down a challenge to me, the then Communications Officer for the Reading Borough Council branch of UNISON. ‘Ant, we need a great speaker for the AGM, do your thing and find one’. Rising to the challenge, a few weeks later I phoned in to donate to the Guardian’s Christmas Appeal, realised Owen Jones was helping to man the phones and cheekily asked him if he was free to visit Reading and speak at our meeting the following March. Owen wasn’t available, but meanwhile via Twitter I’d become aware of a new rising star in the world of left leaning politics. Harry Leslie Smith had delivered a barnstorming speech at the Labour Party Conference in September, I was following him on Twitter, he was touring the country to promote his book ‘Harry’s Last Stand’ and I was blown away by his quiet wisdom and his energy in fighting against austerity and for our NHS.
There then followed a long exchange of emails with Harry’s literary agent (who I suspect was probably holding on for a bigger gig!) However I’m not one to give up easily and in the end the agent put me directly in contact with Harry and his son John. Harry was keen to visit new places to share his message and was willing to travel all the way down from Barnsley, so we decided to host an evening event too. In retrospect I think the clincher was the offer of a full on cooked breakfast at the hotel and as much beer as Harry wanted at the evening do at RISC!
I remember meeting Harry and John off the train at Reading station and being very nervous – a 91 year old famous activist and author had travelled more than 200 miles to visit us and we all wanted to make sure he was well looked after. I don’t know why I worried. As soon as we arrived at the hotel and Harry was settling in to his room we had several beers with John and a really good chat about Harry’s work and what motivated him in his retirement to enter the world of political activism.
Harry did his research well. Before the visit he’d sent me a list of questions about Reading – our housing crisis, homelessness, poverty, details about services that had been cut, the daily struggle faced by our members in looking after vulnerable people – he wanted to know warts and all what was really going on. This was important to Harry because everywhere he went he wanted to relate the current problems in every town and city directly back to his experience of poverty in his youth.
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| Harry Supporting UNITE's 2016 strike action at Capita |
At our AGM several of our delegates were in tears as Harry told us about his sister Marion, who died of tuberculosis, ended her short life in a workhouse infirmary and suffered the indignity of burial in a paupers’ pit. That evening Harry moved us once again by reminding us of the horrors of the poverty he suffered. Yet he also lifted us all with his optimism, reminding us of the great things achieved in the ‘spirit of 45’. He reminded the audience of trade unionists, community activists and students that evening we can – and will – achieve great things again.
I would like to think Harry was impressed by the level of activism in our town because a year later he visited Reading again, this time at an event hosted by Reading TUC where we had a spirited debate about austerity and the role of trade unions in fighting for social justice.
I’m proud that Reading’s trade union movement played a part in helping to spread Harry’s message and his 2016 visit showed what a Trades Union Council can do to bring people together in solidarity with each other.
Sadly Harry is no longer with us but his legacy remains and will be long lasting. We have his books, his newspaper articles, his podcasts, his television interviews and his tweets to remind us of his making ability to inspire and to galvanise people all over the world for social justice, for equality and against poverty and racism.
Harry was a great and treasured friend of the trade union and labour movement. His son John has vowed to finish the projects Harry had begun. There is talk of memorials and statues and I hope Harry is accorded the recognition he deserves on that front. However I feel the best tribute we can pay to him is to continue our efforts on behalf of our members, the people we serve and in the pursuit of social justice.
Rest in Power, Harry - and thank you for everything you have done. Always remembered, never forgotten.
Antoinette Solera
Co-Convenor, Central & East Berkshire UNISON
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| Reading Chronicle report of Harry in Reading, 2016 |
