Jim Barbour (1958-2022)

The Socialist Party is saddened by the death of Jim Barbour, a former party member and a stalwart of the workers’ movement.

After lengthy service as an active firefighter, Jim became a leading figure in the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). From a working-class Protestant background in Belfast, Jim gravitated towards the ideas of class unity and socialism, in opposition to the sectarian forces.

He joined the Socialist Party on foot of the 2002/3 FBU pay strike against the New Labour government. Partly under Jim’s influence, it was the Northern Ireland region which moved the motion for disaffiliation from Labour at the union’s 2004 conference. Jim twice stood as an election candidate for the Socialist Party, and went on to become a key figure in the We Won’t Pay campaign which defeated the threat of water charges by popularising the concept of mass non-payment. He was also active in the movement against the Iraq war.

While Jim had retired from his position in the FBU, he remained an important and influential figure in the trade union and workers’ movement, and will be deeply missed by many.We send our condolences to Jim’s family, friends and comrades at this sad time.

Total
0
Shares
Previous Article

Stormont backs Thatcher's anti-trade union laws

Next Article

Why has the UK government let in so few refugees?

Related Posts
Read More

Tories put brakes on gender self-identification

The Sunday Times recently revealed that the Tories are to scrap proposed changes to the gender recognition Act which would have allowed trans people to have their gender recognised through self-identification. This will come as a blow to all trans and gender non-conforming people in the UK. Instead of the proposed changes, “protections” will be brought in to “safeguard” female-only spaces, such as changing rooms and toilets, reflecting the bogus myth that the right for trans people, particularly trans women, to self-identify could be abused by cis male sex offenders to allow them to access these spaces.