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@General_Strike
Just had an interesting experience in Buxton. I spotted a gent in a National Clarion cap in the Buxton pavilion, so in the spirit of 'anyone on two wheels is a friend' I went over to say hello. Well, it turns out that he was the current national secretary (I think). When the fellow realised that I was from Clarion 1895 his response was rather frosty to say the least. I explained that I wasn't interested in club politics and had just meant to be friendly, but found it rather difficult to get him off the subject of Comrade Jepson and his (never clearly described) crimes against the club (the closest he got was to accuse him of 'authoritarian leadership'). I think that he may have realised that he was being rather off-putting and became friendlier as the conversation went on - he even invited me to the annual social which is being held in Buxton that evening. I explained that my membership of Clarion 1895 was because I wanted to join a cycling club which helped me to practice my Socialism and I think he understood that it wasn't a repudiation of his organisation as such - though he was at pains to claim the traditions and history of Clarion for his own organisation (though how one maintains that whilst excising Socialism I don't know). However there is clearly a lot of bad feeling about the whole affair even still (after 6 years!) which is a great shame. No doubt some of this is because I was speaking to the current national secretary who must have been deeply embroiling in the matter, but it is a bit disappointing and I would be cautious about networking with National Clarion as there seems to be a lot of potential for misunderstanding and recrimination.
One statement that he made stuck with me, when we were discussing why Clarion 1895 was thus named; "We have outlived the Clarion newspaper, and we have outlived Socialism". A pity he thinks so!