A banner of the Govan Branch of the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) from 1938. The Scottish Socialist Party was founded by Patrick Dollan in 1933 as an alternative to the Independent Labour Party. It merged with the Labour Party in 1940.
When the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936 the SSP supported the democratically-elected Republican Government against the rebel Spanish Army and Nationalist factions. This propaganda banner depicts Spanish workers armed only with spades and pickaxes facing up to the well-equipped Spanish Army. The SSP was critical of the British Government for its refusal to permit British suppliers to supply arms to the Republicans.
The text to the left of the banner draws a comparison between the Spanish Republicans and Scots Thomas Muir (transported in 1794), John Baird and Andrew Hardie (both executed 1820), who suffered for their political beliefs.
Reference: 40.82.146
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Museums
Keywords:
banners, executions, Independent Labour Party, political martyrs, political propaganda, politics, Scottish Socialist Party, socialism, socialists, Spanish Civil War, SSP, transportation
You have 1 image in your photo album.
