International Brigade Memorial Trust
MPs marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Spanish dictator Franco have praised the ‘vital educational and commemorative work’ of the IBMT in preserving the memory of the volunteers who fought fascism during the Spanish Civil War.
The praise is contained in an Early Day Motion tabled in the House of Commons by Labour’s Jon Trickett (Normanton and Hemsworth) to coincide with anniversary of the dictator’s death on 20 November.
The EDM’s full text says: ‘That this House notes that 20 November marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco; congratulates the Spanish people, along with their constituent nations in the Basque Country, Catalonia and elsewhere, on the restoration of democratic rule and their ongoing efforts to eradicate the toxic legacy of decades of brutal repression; and applauds the vital educational and commemorative work of the International Brigade Memorial Trust to preserve the memory and spirit of the volunteers from Britain and Ireland who fought fascism during the Spanish Civil War, more than 500 of whom died in Spain.’
Jon Trickett.
Support came immediately from Labour MPs Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside), Neil Duncan-Jordan (Poole), Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington) and Chris Hinchliff (North East Hertfordshire) and Democratic Unionist Jim Shannon (Strangford).
More MPs at Westminster are expected to add their names to EDM 2288 in the days to come.
A similarly worded motion has been presented to the Scottish Parliament by Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) and is supported by fellow Labour MSPs Katy Clark, Richard Leonard and Paul Sweeney, along with SNP members Clare Adamson, Alasdair Allan, Colin Beattie, Bob Doris, Jamie Hepburn, Bill Kidd, Fulton MacGregor, Stuart McMillan, Kevin Stewart and David Torrance and Independent members Foysol Choudhury and John Mason.
Motion S6M-19623 tabled at Holyrood notes that 120 Scottish International Brigade volunteers died in Spain. It also praises the work of all those who maintain the memorial in Tarancón to the 39 Scots volunteers who fell at the Battle of Jarama.
Mercedes Villalba.
Why not ask your MP to sign the EDM? Find your MP here.
