Facing the Facts, 1926–31

Abstract

After the calling off of the General Strike, the General Council was immediately faced with the problem of how to explain its decision to the movement. It was at first proposed to convene a conference of executives during the summer of 1926, but with the Miners’ lock-out still continuing, and with the movement bitterly divided over the Council’s decision, the conference was postponed with the Miners’ agreement. Thus, when the 1926 Congress met at Bournemouth the events of May had still not been debated. The General Council reported to Congress that it intended to postpone an inquest until after the termination of the mining dispute. This was expecting a good deal of restraint from Congress delegates, and the decision was challenged by Jack Tanner of the Amalgamated Engineering Union. Tanner raised an important point. The General Council, he argued, was elected by Congress and was responsible to it; it had no right to withhold information or prevent discussion of so vital an issue.