Introduction Songtext
von Tony Benn

Well, I′ve been asked to make an announcement on behalf of the
Management. If there is anyone here from New Labour, your money will
Be refunded if you leave quietly and there is a, there is a special
Exit on the far right under the title 'The Third Way′, so if you go


You won't go wrong. Now, Roy Bailey and I have known each other for
A quarter of a century. We first met in Burford in 1976 when he was
Singing and I was speaking to commemorate the shooting of three
Leveller soldiers in 1649 by Cromwell because they refused to go and
Fight in Ireland. And since then, Roy and I have been a two-man focus
Group representing not exactly middle England but the history from
Which we came. And the whole purpose of this today is to celebrate
The roots of our faith because Roy and I are both traditionalists

There are two sorts of tradition. There's the tradition of obedience
And deference and hierarchy and discipline, and there′s a different
Tradition which we celebrate today of independence, of human rights
Of democracy, of internationalism, and so on, and that′s what we are

Singing about. Now, we did try to get this programme adopted by the
Department of Education as part of the necessary training of young
People in our history, but the head of OfEd, Mr. Chris
Ofhead banned it, and so we've got to do it by ourselves

But at any rate, that′s what we're about. We hope we
Won′t give offence. If we do, it won't worry us too much
And Roy is going to begin. It′s your turn, Roy, to sing