Season 1 · Episode 143
S1 Ep143: "Glittering Malice" - 'A mix of Kes and Stand By Me' - Bobby Brennan's new book - Hist/Pol/Community
February 10, 20251h 20m
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (audioboom.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
Today I speak to former Labour Councillor and Sefton Mayor Bobby Brennan about his new book – ‘A Glittering Malice’, which covers his life, his experiences, and his understanding of issues in the community. Bobby says his book is like a cross between the classic social realist book/film Kes and the US coming-of-age film Stand By Me. We have a great chat.
We discuss: -
- Where the idea for the book came from.
- His tough and impoverished upbringing.
- Kes-like paper rounds!
- ‘Egg-collecting.’
- The ‘threat’ of ’working-class’ kids in ‘middle-class’ areas!
- The rise of football violence in the 60s and 70s.
- Becoming involved in Trade Unionism and the impacts of ‘blacklisting’.
- Religion and ‘mixed marriages’.
- Frustrations with the local Labour Party.
- Divisions on the left.
- School days.
- Medieval class war in Conwy.
- ‘Leccy’ meters.
- Losing close friends.
- Bootle to Skelmersdale and back again.
- Memories and history of Ford.
- The local Magdalene Nursery.
- Trade Union phone tapping.
- The Police.
- Hillsborough.
- Everton and Liverpool F.C.
- Strikes and blackouts.
- The Spanish Civil War – links with Liverpool and Bootle.
- Blitz Commemoration.
- Experiences as Mayor of Sefton.
- Sefton ‘Twin Towns’.
- Political corruption.
- Corporal punishment.
- The danger posed by the Populist Right.
- And so much more!
Check out our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1dQzS8KBgeT9iA7MAqhQpA - The channel now includes playlists about associated topics.
Follow us on BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/northandsouth.bsky.social
Check out the CIC website – www.northandsoutheducationcic.co.uk – You can fund the charity through this page
Please support the Podcast at https://ko-fi.com/northsouthpodcasts?ref=onboarding_email_share2
Substack - https://timothyshort.substack.com/
We discuss: -
- Where the idea for the book came from.
- His tough and impoverished upbringing.
- Kes-like paper rounds!
- ‘Egg-collecting.’
- The ‘threat’ of ’working-class’ kids in ‘middle-class’ areas!
- The rise of football violence in the 60s and 70s.
- Becoming involved in Trade Unionism and the impacts of ‘blacklisting’.
- Religion and ‘mixed marriages’.
- Frustrations with the local Labour Party.
- Divisions on the left.
- School days.
- Medieval class war in Conwy.
- ‘Leccy’ meters.
- Losing close friends.
- Bootle to Skelmersdale and back again.
- Memories and history of Ford.
- The local Magdalene Nursery.
- Trade Union phone tapping.
- The Police.
- Hillsborough.
- Everton and Liverpool F.C.
- Strikes and blackouts.
- The Spanish Civil War – links with Liverpool and Bootle.
- Blitz Commemoration.
- Experiences as Mayor of Sefton.
- Sefton ‘Twin Towns’.
- Political corruption.
- Corporal punishment.
- The danger posed by the Populist Right.
- And so much more!
Check out our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1dQzS8KBgeT9iA7MAqhQpA - The channel now includes playlists about associated topics.
Follow us on BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/northandsouth.bsky.social
Check out the CIC website – www.northandsoutheducationcic.co.uk – You can fund the charity through this page
Please support the Podcast at https://ko-fi.com/northsouthpodcasts?ref=onboarding_email_share2
Substack - https://timothyshort.substack.com/