Ann Marcial is part of the editorial team at Critical Mass. She was a founding member of Creating Socialism.
She descended into socialism from the age of 21. Survived Thatcher and the threat of nuclear war. Became a union activist, ending up as a Convenor. Retired to a Caribbean island to run a friends B&B.
She weathered a scary existence and among other things became a political campaign manager and wrote comedy which she says were “very similar roles”. She married a comedian, returned to England then followed Corbyn.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which book do you think all socialists should read? | Karl Marx quotes |
| What was the most important event in the history of socialism? | Jeremy Corbyn being elected as leader of the Labour Party |
| Who would you rate as the outstanding political leader of your generation? | Fidel Castro |
| Which film should socialists watch? | Cathy Come Home |
| Which single political event was most instrumental in your political development? | Election of Margaret Thatcher as Tory PM |
| With which historical socialist do you most identify? | Barbara Castle |
| Which single reform could make capitalism work? | Taxing the rich. |
| Have you ever been on strike, if so, did you win? | Yes, several times, no not really there were compromises |
| Do you think we can get socialism through the ballot box? | No! |
| What do you do when you are not doing politics? | Advocacy, comedy, Theatre and time with friends. Also, my role as a Trustee keeps me busy. |
| Do you ever feel like giving up politically and why don’t you? | No, I always find that extra bit of enthusiasm to keep going. It’s in my blood and I don’t want to let future generations down. |
| Are you an optimist or a pessimist when you think of the future for the left? | Optimist |
| Is socialism inevitable? | No |
Great stuff. Shared in Eastbourne. Solidarity.
[…] Spotlight on Ann Marcial […]