Crisis? What Crisis?

by Alwyn Turner

  Clough Williams-Ellis, England and the Octopus (originally published 1928 – new edn: Golden Dragon, Portmeirion, 1975)

  Colin Wilson, The Occult (Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1971 – pbk edn: Granada, St Albans, 1979)

  Harold Wilson, Memoirs: The Making of a Prime Minister 1916–64 (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1986)

  Robert Winder, Bloody Foreigners: The Story of Immigration to Britain (Little, Brown, London, 2004)

  David Winner, Those Feet: A Sensual History of English Football (Bloomsbury, London, 2005)

  Enid Wistrich, ‘I Don’t Mind the Sex, It’s the Violence’ – Film Censorship Explored (Marion Boyars, London, 1978)

  Richard Wurmbrand, Was Karl Marx a Satanist? (Diane Books, USA, 1979)

  Mike Yarwood, And This Is Me! (Jupiter, London, 1974)

  Mike Yarwood, Impressions of My Life (Willow, London, 1986)

  Fiction

  Note: Where a paperback edition is shown, it indicates that any page references cited are to that edition.

  Richard Adams, Watership Down (Rex Collings, London, 1972 – pbk edn: Puffin, Harmondsworth, 1973)

  Richard Adams, The Plague Dogs (Allen Lane, London, 1977 – pbk edn: Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1978)

  Richard Allen, Skinhead (New English Library, London, 1970)

  Richard Allen, Suedehead (New English Library, London, 1971)

  Kingsley Amis, Jake’s Thing (Hutchinson, London, 1978 – pbk edn: Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1979)

  David Anne, Day of the Mad Dogs (W.H. Allen, London, 1977)

  W.H. Auden, Selected Poems (Faber & Faber, London, 1968)

  Joe Balham, The Sweeney: The Human Pipeline (Futura, London, 1977)

  Joe Balham, The Sweeney: Regan and the Bent Stripper (Futura, London, 1977)

  James Barlow, The Burden of Proof (Hamish Hamilton, London, 1968 – pbk edn: Villain, Pan, London, 1970)

  Eddie Braben, The Best of Morecambe and Wise (Woburn Press, London, 1974)

  Malcolm Bradbury, The History Man (Secker & Warburg, 1975 – pbk edn: Picador, London, 2000)

  Paul Bryers, Hollow Target (André Deutsch, London, 1976 – pbk edn: Coronet, London, 1978)

  Anthony Burgess, 1985 (Hutchinson, London, 1978 – pbk edn: Arrow, London, 1980)

  Peter Cook, Tragically I was an Only Twin (Century, London, 2002)

  Robin Cook, A State of Denmark (Hutchinson, London, 1970 – pbk edn: Panther, London, 1973)

  Edmund Cooper, Five to Twelve (Hodder, London, 1968)

  Edmund Cooper, Who Needs Men? (Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1972 – pbk edn: Coronet, London, 1974)

  Richard Cowper, Clone (Victor Gollancz, London, 1972 – pbk edn: Quartet, London, 1974)

  Les Dawson, A Card for the Clubs (Sphere, London, 1974)

  Colin Dexter, Last Bus to Woodstock (Macmillan, London, 1975 – pbk edn: Pan, London, 1977)

  Terrance Dicks, Doctor Who and the Monster of Peladon (Target, London, 1980)

  Richard Doyle, Deluge (Arlington Books, London, 1976 – pbk edn: Pan, London, 1978)

  Margaret Drabble, The Ice Age (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1977)

  Constantine Fitzgibbon, When the Kissing Had to Stop (Cassell & Co., London, 1960)

  E.M. Forster, Maurice (Edward Arnold, London, 1971 – pbk edn: Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1972)

  Anthony Fowles, Pastime (W.H. Allen, London, 1974 – pbk edn: Star, London, 1974)

  Brian Freeborn, Good Luck Mister Cain (Secker & Warburg, London, 1976)

  Gillian Freeman, The Leader (Anthony Blond, London, 1965)

  Trevor Griffiths, Comedians (Faber & Faber, London, 1976 – revised 1979)

  William Haggard, The Doubtful Disciple (Cassell & Co., London, 1969 – pbk edn: Corgi, London, 1971)

  William Haggard, The Hardliners (Cassell & Co., London, 1970 – pbk edn: Corgi, London, 1972)

  Jeremy Hardy, Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation (Methuen, London, 1993)

  David Hare, Teeth ’n’ Smiles (Faber & Faber, London, 1976)

  Jane Harman, W*I*T*C*H (New English Library, London, 1971)

  Walter Harris, The Mistress of Downing Street (Michael Joseph, London, 1972)

  Walter Harris, The Fifth Horseman (Panther, London, 1976)

  Walter Harris, Saliva (Star, London, 1977)

  James Herbert, The Rats (New English Library, London, 1974)

  James Herbert, The Spear (New English Library, London, 1978)

  Reginald Hill, An Advancement of Learning (William Collins, London, 1971 – pbk edn: Fontana, London, 1974)

  P.D. James, An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (Faber & Faber, London, 1972 – pbk edn: Penguin, London, 1974)

  P.D. James, Death of an Expert Witness (Faber & Faber, London, 1977 – pbk edn: Penguin, London, 1978)

  Pamela Kettle, The Day of the Women (Leslie Frewin, London, 1969 – pbk edn: New English Library, London, 1970)

  Timothy Lea, Confessions of a Window Cleaner (Sphere, London, 1971)

  Peter Leslie, The Extremists (New English Library, London, 1970)

  Doris Lessing, The Memoirs of a Survivor (Octagon, London, 1974 – pbk edn: Pan, London, 1976)

  Ted Lewis, Jack’s Return Home (Michael Joseph, London, 1970 – pbk edn: Carter, Pan, London, 1971)

  Ted Lewis, Plender (Michael Joseph, London, 1971)

  Graham Lord, The Spider and the Fly (Hamish Hamilton, London, 1974 – pbk edn: Sphere, London, 1977)

  Robert McKew with Reed De Rouen, Death List (Futura, London, 1979)

  James Mitchell, Russian Roulette (Hamish Hamilton, London, 1973 – pbk edn: Corgi, London, 1975)

  Eric Morecambe & Ernest Wise, The Morecambe & Wise Special (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1977)

  Frederic Mullally, Split Scene (Arthur Baker, London, 1963 – pbk edn: Pan, London, 1966)

  Robert Muller, The Lost Diaries of Albert Smith (Jonathan Cape, London, 1965 – pbk edn: After All, This Is England, Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1967)

  Andrea Newman, A Bouquet of Barbed Wire (Triton, London, 1969 – pbk edn: Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1976)

  G.F. Newman, Sir, You Bastard (W.H. Allen, London, 1970 – pbk edn: NEL, London, 1971)

  Christopher Nicole, The Face of Evil (Hutchinson, London, 1971)

  David Nobbs, The Death of Reginald Perrin (Victor Gollancz, London, 1975 – pbk edn: The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Penguin, London, 1976)

  Philip Oakes, Experiment at Proto (André Deutsch, London, 1973 – pbk edn: The Proto Papers, Quartet, London, 1974)

  Dillibe Onyeama, The Book of Black Man’s Humour (Dillibe Onyeama Publishing, London, 1975)

  Ingeborg Pertwee, Together (Hamish Hamilton, London, 1974 – pbk edn: Tandem, London, 1976)

  Jack Ramsay, The Rage (Sphere, London, 1977)

  Frederic Raphael, The Glittering Prizes (Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1976)

  Ruth Rendell, A Guilty Thing Surprised (Hutchinson, London, 1970 – pbk edn: Arrow, London, 1980)

  Ruth Rendell, Some Lie and Some Die (Hutchinson, London, 1973 – pbk edn: Arrow, London, 1974)

  Ian Rosse, The Droop (New English Library, London, 1972)

  John de St Jorre & Brian Shakespeare, The Patriot Game (Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1974 – pbk edn: Coronet, London, 1974)

  Donald Seaman, The Committee (Hamish Hamilton, London, 1977 – pbk edn: Futura, London, 1979)

  George Shipway, The Chilian Club (Peter Davies, London, 1971 – pbk edn: Granada, St Albans, 1972)

  John Summers, The Rag Parade (New English Library, London, 1972)

  Julian Symons, The Players and the Game (Collins, London, 1972 – pbk ed: Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1974)

  Peter Van Greenaway, The Man Who Held the Queen to Ransom and Sent Parliament Packing (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1968 – pbk edn: Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1972)

  Alec Waugh, A Spy in the Family: An Erotic Comedy (W.H. Allen, London, 1970)

  Auberon Waugh, A Bed of Flowers (Michael Joseph, London, 1972)

  Dee Wells, Jane (Blond & Briggs, London, 1973 – pbk edn:
Pan, London, 1975)

  Gordon Williams, Big Morning Blues (Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1974 – pbk edn: Coronet, London, 1976)

  Colin Wilson, The Schoolgirl Murder Case (Hart-Davis, MacGibbon Ltd, London, 1974 – pbk edn: Granada, St Albans, 1975)

  Arthur Wise, Who Killed Enoch Powell? (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1970 – pbk edn: Sphere, London, 1972)

  P.G. Wodehouse, Aunts Aren’t Gentlemen (Barrie & Jenkins, London, 1974 – pbk edn: Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1977)

  P.B. Yuill (aka Gordon Williams & Terry Venables), Hazell and the Menacing Jester (Macmillan, London, 1976 – pbk edn: Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1977)

  Films and Television Programmes

  Note: Films are listed by director, TV programmes are credited to their creators.

  Hazel Adair & Peter Ling, Crossroads (ATV/Central, 1964–88)

  Jim Allen, Days of Hope (BBC TV, 1975)

  Elizabeth Beresford, The Wombles (BBC TV, 1973–75)

  John Boulting, I’m All Right Jack (British Lion, 1959)

  Eric Chappell, Rising Damp (Yorkshire TV, 1974–78)

  James Kenelm Clarke, Hardcore (Norfolk International Pictures, 1977)

  John Cleese & Connie Booth, Fawlty Towers (BBC TV, 1975 & 1979)

  John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones & Terry Gilliam, Monty Python’s Flying Circus (BBC TV, 1969–74)

  Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (BBC TV, 1973–74)

  Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais, Porridge (BBC TV, 1974–77)

  Barney Colehan, The Good Old Days (BBC TV, 1953–83)

  Sid Colin, On the House (Yorkshire TV, 1970–71)

  Reginald Collins, Special Branch (Thames TV, 1969–74)

  Gerry Davis & Kit Pedlar, Doomwatch (BBC TV, 1970–72)

  John Esmonde & Bob Larbey, The Good Life (BBC TV, 1975–78)

  Albert Fennell & Brian Clemens, The New Avengers (Avengers Enterprises, 1976–77)

  Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie & Tim Brooke-Taylor, The Goodies (BBC TV, 1970–80)

  Gerard Glaister & N.J. Crisp, The Brothers (BBC TV, 1972–76)

  John Hamp, The Comedians (Granada TV, 1971–74)

  Robin Hardy, The Wicker Man (British Lion, 1973)

  George Inns, The Black and White Minstrel Show (BBC TV, 1958–78)

  Derek Jarman, Jubilee (Megalovision, 1977)

  Bob Kellett, Girl Stroke Boy (Hemdale, 1971)

  Ian Kennedy-Martin, The Sweeney (Thames TV, 1975–78)

  Nigel Kneale, The Stone Tape (BBC TV, 1972)

  Nigel Kneale, Beasts (ATV, 1976)

  Nigel Kneale, Quatermass (Thames TV, 1978)

  Stanley Kubrick, A Clockwork Orange (Warner Bros, 1971)

  Mike Leigh, Abigail’s Party (BBC TV, 1977)

  Jeremy Lloyd & David Croft, Are You Being Served? (BBC TV, 1972–85)

  John Lloyd & Sean Hardie, Not The Nine O’Clock News (BBC TV, 1979–82)

  Jonathan Lynn & Antony Jay, Yes Minister (BBC TV, 1980–84)

  Philip Mackie, The Naked Civil Servant (Thames TV, 1975)

  Philip Mackie, Raffles (Yorkshire TV, 1977)

  Ian Mackintosh, The Sandbaggers (Yorkshire TV, 1978–80)

  Jean Marsh & Eileen Atkins, Upstairs, Downstairs (LWT, 1971–75)

  Philip Martin, Gangsters (BBC TV, 1976–78)

  James Mitchell, Callan (ABC/Thames TV, 1967–72)

  Johnnie Mortimer & Brian Cooke, Man About the House (Thames TV, 1973–76)

  Johnnie Mortimer & Brian Cooke, George and Mildred (Thames TV, 1976–79)

  Terry Nation, Survivors (BBC TV, 1975–77)

  Terry Nation, Blake’s 7 (BBC TV, 1978–81)

  Andrea Newman, A Bouquet of Barbed Wire (LWT, 1976)

  Sydney Newman, Doctor Who (BBC TV, 1963–89)

  David Nobbs, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (BBC TV, 1976–79)

  Sam Peckinpah, Straw Dogs (ABC Pictures, 1971)

  Lance Percival, Up the Workers (ATV, 1973–76)

  Jimmy Perry & David Croft, Dad’s Army (BBC TV, 1968–77)

  Jimmy Perry & David Croft, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum (BBC, 1974–81)

  Dennis Potter, Brimstone and Treacle (BBC TV, 1976 – first broadcast 1987)

  Dennis Potter, Pennies from Heaven (BBC TV, 1978)

  Vince Powell & Harry Driver, Love Thy Neighbour (Thames TV, 1972–76)

  Vince Powell, Mind Your Language (LWT, 1977–79)

  Trevor Preston, Out (Thames/Euston Films, 1978)

  Roger Price, The Tomorrow People (Thames TV, 1973–79)

  Jack Pulman, I, Claudius (BBC TV, 1976)

  Jack Rosenthal, The Dustbinmen (Granada TV, 1968–70)

  Jack Rosenthal, Another Sunday and Sweet F.A. (Granada TV, 1972)

  Jack Rosenthal, There’ll Almost Always Be an England (Granada TV, 1974)

  John Schlesinger, Sunday, Bloody Sunday (United Artists, 1971)

  Howard Schuman, Rock Follies (Thames TV, 1976)

  Anthony Simmons, Black Joy (Kastner-Milchan, 1977)

  Johnny Speight, Till Death Us Do Part (BBC TV, 1966–68, 1972–75)

  John Sullivan, Citizen Smith (BBC TV, 1977–80)

  Eric Sykes, Sykes (BBC TV, 1972–79)

  Julien Temple, The Great Rock ’n’ Roll Swindle (Virgin Films, 1980)

  Gerald Thomas, Carry On at Your Convenience (J. Arthur Rank, 1971)

  Gerald Thomas, Carry On Abroad (J. Arthur Rank, 1972)

  Pete Walker, Frightmare (Peter Walker Ltd, 1974)

  Pete Walker, House of Whipcord (Peter Walker Ltd, 1974)

  Tony Warren, Coronation Street (Granada TV, 1960–)

  Keith Waterhouse & Willis Hall, Budgie (LWT, 1971–72)

  Ronald Wolfe & Ronald Chesney, The Rag Trade (BBC TV, 1961–63; LWT, 1977–78)

  Bill Wright, Mastermind (BBC TV, 1972–97)

  Fred Zinnemann, The Day of the Jackal (Warwick Productions, 1973)

  Websites

  All Music Guide (allmusic.com)

  British Board of Film Classification (bbfc.co.uk)

  By-Elections (geocities.com/by_elections)

  Internet Movie Database (imdb.com)

  The Knitting Circle (knittingcircle.org.uk)

  Lenny Henry (lennyhenry.com)

  Leonard Rossiter (leonardrossiter.com)

  Margaret Thatcher Foundation (margaretthatcher.org)

  New Economics Foundation (neweconomics.org)

  Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (oxforddnb.com)

  The Prince of Wales (princeofwales.gov.uk)

  Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org)

  Socialist Labour Party (socialist-labour-party.org.uk)

  Trash Fiction (trashfiction.co.uk)

  Urban 75 (urban75.net)

  Vault of Evil (vaultofevil.suddenlaunch3.com)

  Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

  Credits

  Chapter subtitles are taken from the following songs: Jam, ‘This Is the Modern World’; Who, ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’; Sparks, ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us’; Hollies, ‘All I Need Is the Air That I Breathe’; Mott the Hoople, ‘Violence’; Strawbs, ‘Part of the Union’; Gary Glitter, ‘Hello, Hello, I’m Back Again’; Rod Stewart, ‘Maggie May’; Radio Stars, ‘Dirty Pictures’; Eno, ‘Driving Me Backwards’; Sylvia, ‘Y Viva España’; Marmalade, ‘Falling Apart at the Seams’; Stranglers, ‘I Feel Like a Wog’; Sex Pistols, ‘Anarchy in the UK’; Tom Robinson Band, ‘Glad to Be Gay’; Police, ‘Message in a Bottle’; David Bowie, ‘Fantastic Voyage’. The titles for the three main sections are taken from the titles of tracks by David Bowie.

  Acknowledgements

  I must express my gratitude to the following, who spoke to me and provided assistance in various ways:

  Alan Williams, Austin Mitchell, Biddu, Bob Blackman, Brian Freeborn, Chris Redburn, Craig Austin, Dan Atkinson, David Van Day, Dennis Skinner, Don Smith, Eddy Amoo, Florette Boyson, Gillian Bennett, Graham Coster, Harvey Hinsley, Ian Covell, James Herbert, Jennie Bi
rd, Jill McGregor, John Goriot, John Summers, Ken Andrews, Michael Butterworth, Michelle Coomber, Mike Pearn, Nanette Wise, Norman Tebbit, Peter Jenner, Piers Burnett, Rachel Forster, Richard Pain, Roger Crimlis, Russell Mael, Sally Carr, Shirley Williams, Stephen J. Chibnall, Stephen P. McKay, Steve Jones, Steven Thomas, Tony Benn, Tony Burrows, TV Smith, Vic Gibbons, Vicki Stevens and Zandra Rhodes, as well as those who asked not to be named.

  Obviously none of the above should be considered to condone the contents of this book. Apologies too to everyone whose work I’ve quoted in such a cavalier fashion, probably missing all the important points.

  I would also like to thank my editor, Natasha Martin, copy editor, Merlin Cox, indexer, Ian Craine, and Chris Shamwana for the cover, as well as Nithya Rae, Graham Eames, Melanie Cumming and Liz Rowe at Aurum.

  And this seems as good an opportunity as any to offer belated thanks to four people who have taught me a great deal over the years, whether they knew it or not: Andrew Husband, Clare Wayland, Elizabeth Imlay and Roger Sears.

  Thamasin Marsh has lived with this project since its inception, and has provided invaluable thought and support.

  This book is dedicated to Gordon Turner, whose contribution is appreciated more than he realizes.

  Index

  ‘“A” Bomb in Wardour Street’ (Jam), ref 1

  Abba, ref 1

  Abbensetts, Michael, ref 1

  Abigail’s Party (Mike Leigh), ref 1

  Acheson, Dean, ref 1

  Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), ref 1

  Adam, Kenneth, ref 1

  Adams, Gerry, ref 1

  Adams, Richard, ref 1, ref 2

  Advancement of Learning, An (Reginald Hill), ref 1

  Adverts, ref 1

  Aeneid (Virgil), ref 1

  After All, This Is England (Robert Muller), ref 1

  Agitprop Collective, ref 1

  Akass, Jon, ref 1

  Aladdin Sane (David Bowie), ref 1

  Aldeburgh Festival, ref 1

  Aldershot, ref 1, ref 2

  Alexander, Cecil F., ref 1

  Ali, Tariq, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ (Cecil F. Alexander), ref 1

  Allen, Jim, ref 1

  Allen, Richard (James Moffat), ref 1

  ’Allo, ’Allo, ref 1