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You know, I& #39;ve been here for a couple of years. A part of things. And yet, always on the periphery really.
That& #39;s no-one& #39;s fault. I live in Northern Ireland. I& #39;m not in any "factions". I just basically came in and starting campaigning. I wanted Corbyn in, badly.
You know, I& #39;ve been here for a couple of years. A part of things. And yet, always on the periphery really.
That& #39;s no-one& #39;s fault. I live in Northern Ireland. I& #39;m not in any "factions". I just basically came in and starting campaigning. I wanted Corbyn in, badly.
I& #39;ve mentioned it before, but I& #39;ve been on the left for quite a long time. Nearly twenty years. But I& #39;ve only been a member of the Labour Party for a couple.
I used to be with the Socialist Party, long ago. That was between around 2001 until 2006, I would think.
I used to be with the Socialist Party, long ago. That was between around 2001 until 2006, I would think.
I was a very active member, and took part in a lot of campaigns. I was a voice against the Iraq War, and organised rallies. I spoke in schools about racism. I fought against low pay and dodgy employers.
I& #39;m proud of some of the work I did in those days, and I never won& #39;t be.
I& #39;m proud of some of the work I did in those days, and I never won& #39;t be.
But honestly - I was a mess. As you all know, I& #39;m a recovering alcoholic. And my reputation in the Socialist Party declined over years.
I haven& #39;t really spoken to my former comrades about this. But it is a source of deep shame for me. I became a literal shadow of myself.
I haven& #39;t really spoken to my former comrades about this. But it is a source of deep shame for me. I became a literal shadow of myself.
My comrades deserved better. Some of them went to great lengths to support me and help me through something that ultimately, I had to fix myself.
I& #39;ll never not say thank you in my heart to each and every one of them for that. Good, good people.
I& #39;ll never not say thank you in my heart to each and every one of them for that. Good, good people.
So, in 2006 I left for Belgium and my life after that became less political.
I still had an interest and turned up at the odd event, but I was disillusioned. Sad. In a way, I was already finished. I believed that I would never stop drinking and that I would die an alcoholic.
I still had an interest and turned up at the odd event, but I was disillusioned. Sad. In a way, I was already finished. I believed that I would never stop drinking and that I would die an alcoholic.
I could elaborate. But that isn& #39;t what this is entirely about. Years passed, I moved back home, lived in Belfast, sat in a room drinking whiskey for five years and almost killed myself doing it.
And then this. https://medium.com/@chrishenrysw1969/jeremy-corbyn-kinda-saved-my-life-c69358479cb8">https://medium.com/@chrishen...
And then this. https://medium.com/@chrishenrysw1969/jeremy-corbyn-kinda-saved-my-life-c69358479cb8">https://medium.com/@chrishen...
I& #39;ve now been sober for 38 months. The hope and enthusiasm generated by our movement and Jeremy Corbyn& #39;s inspirational leadership had something to do with that.
Not everything, of course. But it gave me the spark I needed and filled a gap where hope used to lie.
Not everything, of course. But it gave me the spark I needed and filled a gap where hope used to lie.
