new cycle of plays is an extended critique of parliamentary democracy'

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Next Monday, and for the following ten weeks, viewers will have the chance to see an extremely ambitious attempt by the socialist playwright Trevor Griffiths to provide an extended critique of bourgeois democracy. From 9 to 10 pm, Bill Brand is going to be on. This is an ideal opportunity for socialist militants to organise political discussions round the different episodes.

Bill Brand is a left-wing Tribunite MP who is intent on trying to see if anything can be done from within the system. He prefers being a Labour MP to being politically impotent: The Labour Government is playing its usual misconca role as an avert outer national capitalism in Britain...and what do we in the left do about it?' He is even critical of the Tribune Group itself (Journal Group' in the plays): *Their definition of 'left ends with a Labour government in power."

different segments, etc.

Yet despite all this, Brand is caught What Grifgeois politics.

rear their heads.

Griffiths' cycle of plays is not just a bodies and the politicians in them tend to operate. In other words, how the parliamentary system functions. And the end result is fascinating.

Up till now what we have seen or TV is either the daily, insidious glorificaton or me enure sociar order - LILO monarchy, the state apparatus and its - or else rare plays by left-wing authors which simply dismiss Parliament and all those who operate in it, Griffiths" series is the first real attempt to demystify Parliament and an Hose memocis or ure labour movement who fall in love with it.

lus nor surpasme mar ne seres was conceived after the miners' strike brought about mean or me seal Government and me return or a Labour administration militancy that Griffiths felt compelle Without doubt it is this episode which will raise the hackles of the Tory press. aw however be ine rst time tha opposition to the Act has been voiced in a way that makes it accessible to the masses. The fact that this has happened not in any mass-circulation daily newsan episode of what is a fictional account or te mie or a Labour Mr, is in itsen a fact worthy of note

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Tariq Ali reviews BILL BRAND