A tale to tell

Syd Bidwell, who served as the Labour Member of Parliament for Southall from 1966 to 1992, was well-known in his day for his stand against racism. As a result, the windows of his home were twice smashed; he was the recipient of death threats; and he was condemned by some opponents as a ‘traitor to the white race’. He served on the Select Committee on Racism throughout his term in Parliament. He confronted dockers and meat porters when they marched on the House of Commons in support of Enoch Powell’s inflammatory speech on immigration. He spoke at innumerable meetings and participated in innumerable rallies to condemn racism.

     His son, John, found his unfinished autobiography among the papers that survived Syd’s death and Labour Heritage is publishing it in the belief that it represents a valuable contribution to the history of the British labour movement in the twentieth century.