When Leaders had a sense of humour....

A past Labour leader’s response to pressure to engage in a progressive alliance [to the tune of “The Red Flag”]:

“The people’s flag is palest pink

It’s not red blood but only ink.

It’s sponsored now by Douglas Cole*

Who plays each year a different role.

Then raise our pallid standard high

Wash out all trace of scarlet dye

Let Liberals join and Tories too

And socialists of every hue…

With heads uncovered swear we all

To have no principles at all

If everyone will turn his coat

We’ll get the British people’s vote.”

Clement Atlee, 1939

[courtesy of “Citizen Clem” by John Bew. Riverrun, 2016 – highly recommended]

[*GDHCole was a socialist theorist and Fabian, 1889-1959. The reference to Tories is only partly ironic – there was much talk in 1939 of anti-appeasement MPs of all parties cooperating]