Ted Knight Rest in Power
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friendofdorothy
Solidarity against neoliberalism!
I saw him last year at a local meeting about unions. He was still impressive.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Not denying that Ted Knight deserves commemorating, but that preamble there is a gloss on Ted's romantic seizure of power - which must have actually been by way of a Town Hall putsch, since Labour was already in power at the time.
His Wikipedia entry is very sketchy, and ,looks like someone with no knowledge of the history wrote it up recently.
The Radical Lambeth quote makes it sound as though Ted won the election (from the Tories), kicked the Chief Executive out of his large office, and then took over.
I've lived in Brixton since 1978 - and I can say that in 1978 Lambeth was not thought of as high spending or radical, but it was Labour run. The actual history could be pieced together from the South London Press, which gave blow by blow accounts of Lambeth Town Hall politics.
Even though Ted Knight had gained a nationwide profile due to his anti-Thatcher campaigns, he did not win the 1982 council election. It was a draw, and there was a Conservative administration for 6 months using the casting vote of the Conservative Mayor.
Ted Knight regained control of the council in late 1982 and eventually pursued a policy of refusing to set a rate, as a protest against rate capping, introduced by the Thatcher government to regulate local council spending. It all ended badly for the 32 Labour Councillors, who became martyrs after a fashion, and were banned from office and surcharged by the courts.
I would say Ted Knight was a more extreme and less pragmatic version of Ken Livingstone. Whereas Ken successfully promoted several public transport reforms in his long political career, Ted's general reaction was to go on strike, go on a march, or frequently both. There were numerous "days of action" in the early 1980s where the council closed down and the workers marched up and down Brixton Road.
I would be very interested to hear what permanent policy legacy is left from the Ted knight years. Even the Brixton Rec had to be rescued by Ken Livingstone's GLC. The site was strike-bound for years - and when the work was resumed it was only possible to complete with a GLC grant.
newbie
undisambiguated
A lot of effort went into getting rid of the previous leader (Stimpson? something like that), it wasn't just internal LP squabbling. With him went the policy of decanting tenants and knocking down as much decent old housing as they could get their hands on, while evicting squats then wrecking the homes so they couldn't be resquatted, and . Ted Knight and those with him were a breath of fresh air and got a lot of support, at least from the circles I moved in, maybe not so much in the leafier bits of the borough.
Most political careers end in failure. Ted Knight tried, all his life. RIP and thanks.
Most political careers end in failure. Ted Knight tried, all his life. RIP and thanks.
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
Think he achieved a little more than council workers marching up and down Brixton Road tbh
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
Ever since I first met Ted in 1984, he was an idol, a mentor and a guru to me. I don't agree that Ken's 'pragmatism' achieved that much -the ratecapping protest failed because Ken and Blunkett sold us right down the river, and the GLC STILL got abolished (and went with barely a whimper). And his achievements as Mayor were very modest indeed
Ted, OTOH, inspired a whole generation of young socialists ,- and right now, that socialism is suddenly back in vogue.
RIP my brother, you showed us a world of possibilities
Ted, OTOH, inspired a whole generation of young socialists ,- and right now, that socialism is suddenly back in vogue.
RIP my brother, you showed us a world of possibilities
Never heard of him
brogdale
Coming to terms with late onset Anarchism
POTD fella.
TopCat
Putin fanboy
He was a staunch hater of the anarchists who had a big presence in Lambeth during his reign. Fond of sending in riot police to get his way.. An authoritarian for it's own sake, for stability. He briefly hung from the coat tails of Ken Livingstone but had none of his flair or vision. He spent much of his later years hanging around Ruskin House in Croydon with the ex Tory party member who used to stand for Labour until the domestic violence allegations surfaced. No one from the Ted years used to take the 109 down to see him.
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Gramsci
Well-Known Member
I moved to Brixton in 81. Few months before the Riot.
The Radical Lambeth article on Ted Knight includes this:
On taking power Ted:
One of the problems with Lambeth Council now ( its run by New Labour now) is that the shift of power has been partially reversed.
I say partially as how it operates now is a small group of senior Cllrs and senior officers decide policy. Lambeth Council changed from a committee system to Cabinet system. The intended / unintended consquence of this was centralising power in the leadership. The practise was that "policy" was decided by sofa government then rubber stamped at full Council or Cabinet meetings. Its totally top down.
Its why in the end my Cllr Rachel Heywood was got rid of. She started to not go along with this way of doing things. The Council leadership micro manage ward Cllrs. No Cllr could say anything on any subject without first passing by leadership. Lines on issues would informally be filtered down to ward Cllrs.
This has taken place whilst New Labour took control of the local party.
Alongside this has been rise of new officer class whose first loyalty is to the New Labour establishment. Sue Foster for example. Now retired. Worked for Tessa Jowell on Olympics. Moved to Lambeth. Became senior officer who worked with leadership closely.
Ted Knight was right to move the Chief Executive out of his office and put Cllrs in charge.
Its what should happen now.
The Radical Lambeth article on Ted Knight includes this:
On taking power Ted:
One of the problems with Lambeth Council now ( its run by New Labour now) is that the shift of power has been partially reversed.
I say partially as how it operates now is a small group of senior Cllrs and senior officers decide policy. Lambeth Council changed from a committee system to Cabinet system. The intended / unintended consquence of this was centralising power in the leadership. The practise was that "policy" was decided by sofa government then rubber stamped at full Council or Cabinet meetings. Its totally top down.
Its why in the end my Cllr Rachel Heywood was got rid of. She started to not go along with this way of doing things. The Council leadership micro manage ward Cllrs. No Cllr could say anything on any subject without first passing by leadership. Lines on issues would informally be filtered down to ward Cllrs.
This has taken place whilst New Labour took control of the local party.
Alongside this has been rise of new officer class whose first loyalty is to the New Labour establishment. Sue Foster for example. Now retired. Worked for Tessa Jowell on Olympics. Moved to Lambeth. Became senior officer who worked with leadership closely.
Ted Knight was right to move the Chief Executive out of his office and put Cllrs in charge.
Its what should happen now.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
TopCat says Ted Knight hated the Anarchists for supporting squatting.
The Effra Parade evictions are example. This row of houses in Effra Parade were fine. The eviction and demolition was because they were occupied by anarchists who used the 121 anarchist centre nearby.
pasttenseblog.wordpress.com
I do remember meeting Cllr Hazel Smith. who was in charge of housing. Nothing against her personally. Her politics were supporting Council housing, She was against squatting and short life housing.
The Effra Parade evictions are example. This row of houses in Effra Parade were fine. The eviction and demolition was because they were occupied by anarchists who used the 121 anarchist centre nearby.
Today in London squatting history, 1984: the eviction of Effra Parade, Brixton.
In March 1984, Lambeth Council sent in 200 cops to evict seven squatted terraced houses in Effra Parade, off Railton Road, Brixton – houses which they planned to demolish. The squatters had b…
pasttenseblog.wordpress.com
I do remember meeting Cllr Hazel Smith. who was in charge of housing. Nothing against her personally. Her politics were supporting Council housing, She was against squatting and short life housing.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Tell us more about being sold down the river by Ken Livingstone and Blunkett.
I seem to remember David Blunkett was at the time leader of Sheffield City Council - where the maximum busa fare was 12p and the minimum was 2p.
Then there was the brief Fares Fare policy in London where the tube fare from Brixton to the centre was reduced from 70p to 30p. This was abolish by Lord Denning, Master of the Rolls ruling on a complaint by Bromley Council, who held that as they had no tube service they should not have to subsidise other people.
Can't remember Ted Knight involving himself in that discussion.
I do remember a massive demonstration in what is now Windrush Square against the Supplementary Rate though.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Corbyn leads tributes to Ted Knight, a champion for the people
Tributes have poured in for ‘Red’ Ted Knight, the south London council leader who defied Thatcher and was the scourge of the tabloids but a tireless campaigner for the downtrodden and u…
insidecroydon.com
Short biography of Ted Knight.
cantsin
Well-Known Member
Always a useful contribution, much loved accross all social platforms / comments sections etc
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
John McDonald posted similar on his blogCorbyn leads tributes to Ted Knight, a champion for the people
Tributes have poured in for ‘Red’ Ted Knight, the south London council leader who defied Thatcher and was the scourge of the tabloids but a tireless campaigner for the downtrodden and u…
Short biography of Ted Knight.
A giant of our movement by Paul Feldman and John McDonnell - John McDonnell MP
Ted Knight, former leader of Lambeth Council, dies aged 86 Ted Knight, the former leader of Lambeth Council who was surcharged and removed from office for defying the Thatcher government’s spending cuts, has died in London at the age of 86. Ted Knight was politically active for nearly 75 years...
www.john-mcdonnell.net
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Notwithstanding the eulogies, I still say that there is nothing really concrete to show as a legacy. Ted Knight was a charismatic leader, but didn't solve anything or leave any monuments. As regards monuments, you could say that Linda Bellos made a mark by renaming public buildings after notable Black people.
As it happens succeeding privatisations have erased every one of these - except Mary Seacole House - if the Clapham Library is still using that name.
As it happens succeeding privatisations have erased every one of these - except Mary Seacole House - if the Clapham Library is still using that name.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
The criticism I've heard ( from the right in local party) is that child abuse took place in children's homes when the Council was under control of their hard left with Ted Knight as leader. The line of argument is that Ted Knight was to busy doing hard left grandstanding to properly oversee and manage the children homes.
I'm not saying that its fair. Its an argument I've heard. from the right in the local party. Particularly if one says Ted Knight more confrontational politics have relevance in present day.
I'm not saying that its fair. Its an argument I've heard. from the right in the local party. Particularly if one says Ted Knight more confrontational politics have relevance in present day.
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
You'd be very hard pressed to name one Council that tackled child abuse in childrens homes in the 1980s tbh
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
I agree. Margaret Hodge was leader in Islington in the same period. Islington also has legacy of child abuse in its childrens home.
This criticism is used in Lambeth regularly. Say Ted Knight opposing cuts was good and the right bring up child abuse in children's homes.
Its a way to shut people up. I've had it and it works.
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
You are right in someways that there is no 'permanent policy legacy' as the Tory govt won the day . However you could say that despite or because of the examples of Lambeth under Knight, Poplar Council, Clay Cross or Liverpool City Council the 'permanent policy legacy' has been carry out the cuts and wait for a Labour government to be elected and if that doesnt work implement more cuts and wait for a Labour government to be elected ad infinitum.
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
Child abuse was going on from the 1950s in Lambeth children's homes. The local Labour right rarely mention that.
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
Ted Knight was doctrinaire, it can't be denied, but he was pro the local working class community - something the Tories could never be accused of when they held the balance of power in Lambeth.
He gave a lot of us a damned good laugh when he was elected as Branch Secretary of Gipsy Hill Labour, sending the 3 ward cllrs (neo-Blairites the lot of 'em) into a bit of a tizz. He made sure that party democracy was upheld, when the more right-wing and reactionary elements wanted the usual lip service to continue.
He also, very kindly, spoke at a protest I helped organise at City Hall, over the lack of ballots for estates in Lambeth being "regenerated". Ted lived - literally - round the corner from one, Central Hill, and was well aware of the chaos a large-scale development (with minimal extra social housing) would cause in the ward.
He gave a lot of us a damned good laugh when he was elected as Branch Secretary of Gipsy Hill Labour, sending the 3 ward cllrs (neo-Blairites the lot of 'em) into a bit of a tizz. He made sure that party democracy was upheld, when the more right-wing and reactionary elements wanted the usual lip service to continue.
He also, very kindly, spoke at a protest I helped organise at City Hall, over the lack of ballots for estates in Lambeth being "regenerated". Ted lived - literally - round the corner from one, Central Hill, and was well aware of the chaos a large-scale development (with minimal extra social housing) would cause in the ward.
Larry O'Hara
Well-Known Member
And he’d probably never heard of you...
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Or even worse "vote for a Labour Council" to carry out the cuts better.
Been reading all these links, including the squatting history.
It's hugely frustrating that Old Labour (whether strong left or bad right) was so often so anti-squatter
If Knight had been more up for licensing squats, and/or allowing then to turn themselves into co-ops and HAs, etc. -- I know some of that happened, but at what stage in Lambeth?? -- then a lot fewer of those vile evictions and Police scumbaggery might have happened, with less general acrimony and anti-squatter vileness ....
But then we read about his TU support and activity in later years, which is much more admirable.
Mark Serwotka (PCS) paid a tribute -- that's my union, and Mark is pretty damned sound.
A rare Guardian piece by Ted Knight from 2012 -- also very sound.
There doesn't seem to be an obituary yet, not in the Guardian anyway.
It's hugely frustrating that Old Labour (whether strong left or bad right) was so often so anti-squatter
If Knight had been more up for licensing squats, and/or allowing then to turn themselves into co-ops and HAs, etc. -- I know some of that happened, but at what stage in Lambeth?? -- then a lot fewer of those vile evictions and Police scumbaggery might have happened, with less general acrimony and anti-squatter vileness ....
But then we read about his TU support and activity in later years, which is much more admirable.
Mark Serwotka (PCS) paid a tribute -- that's my union, and Mark is pretty damned sound.
A rare Guardian piece by Ted Knight from 2012 -- also very sound.
There doesn't seem to be an obituary yet, not in the Guardian anyway.
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happyshopper
Well-Known Member
It would be easy to give him the respect of spelling his name correctly.John McDonald posted similar on his blog
A giant of our movement by Paul Feldman and John McDonnell - John McDonnell MP
Ted Knight, former leader of Lambeth Council, dies aged 86 Ted Knight, the former leader of Lambeth Council who was surcharged and removed from office for defying the Thatcher government’s spending cuts, has died in London at the age of 86. Ted Knight was politically active for nearly 75 years...
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
No problem.
It's worth remembering that for much of the 80s, Blunkett was very much seen as being of the Left. In the mid 80s,
Thatcher -who was obsessed by what she saw as the massive unfairness (to her actual or target voters) of the Rates system (which ultimately led to her career-ending disaster of the poll tax, which sure was Karma!) - brought in legislation to cap the rates councils could set, which was an outrageous assault on local democracy.
Several Labour councils formed a coalition to defy thiis, and pledged to set an illegal rate. However, at a crucial moment, the biggest one -the GLC - and another big one, Sheffield, bottled. It and caved in, and the campaign collapsed. Only two councils -Lambeth and Liverpool - had the courage to see it through to the end. And got duly judicially clobbered.
I was told some years ago that he knew quite a bit more about child abuse going on in Lambeth than this would suggest.
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