The proposal for John McDonnell to take up the post of vice-president of the Marx Memorial Library is proving controversial -- at least to the editors of the "Finsbury Communist" (prop: Ivor Kenna) a tiny and cranky, but long-standing newsletter, well-known on the London communist street.

Headed "A Roman Catholic to Head Marx House" the FC informs us that Labour's Shadow Chancellor will be put forward for election at a Special General Meeting on 2nd October. Despite the somewhat lurid header the article concedes that while McDonnell did begin training for the priesthood he eventually decided against the vocation and informed the Catholic Herald in 2015 that he would rather not be included in the list of Catholic MPs that are sometimes produced.

This isn't enough for the FC author who clearly thinks that JM still clings, in some way, to the faith of his childhood. Curiously enough, this unusually sectarian article doesn't question McDonell's political credentials for the post though it concludes "It is a bold move on the part of John McDonnell to wish to be associated with Marxists. It is doubtful whether such a move would be wise for Marx Memorial Library and Workers' School or for John McDonnell himself.".

McDonnell spoke at the MML's seminar on Karl Marx earlier in the year and I believe he's giving another talk at the Library in a few weeks time. Though the post is largely ceremonial getting JM on board will clearly help project the work of the MML to a wider audience in the labour movement. Though JM sometimes refers his values as "Marxist" I would regard him as a left social-democrat -- which has never been a barrier to working on the Library committee like many of the academics who have done so in the past...

pip,pip,


H A R Philby
(Col.ret'd)