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.

IBMT representatives and supporters have briefed a group of parliamentarians on the work of the Trust and the Spanish Civil War’s legacy in Britain and Spain. It is hoped this will be the first of a series of sessions where MPs and peers can be kept informed of shared matters of interest to them and the IBMT.

Chaired by Jon Trickett, the Labour MP for Normanton and Hemsworth, the meeting on 24 June heard historian and IBMT Historical Consultant Richard Baxell talk about what happened to the International Brigade volunteers after they returned from Spain.

IBMT Chair Jim Jump went into the detail of the Trust’s commemorative and educational activities. He highlighted ongoing efforts, both in the classroom and beyond, to make sure that the story of the volunteers and the impact of Spain’s war is properly taught and understood.

‘We’re especially exciting by the IBMT Schools Project,’ he told the meeting. ‘We hope to expand on the two teaching modules for Key Stage 3 that are now available on our website.’

Jump went on to speak about Spain’s ‘memory wars’. He deplored rightwing-led Madrid City Council’s plans to build a waste facility on or near a mass grave of 450 International Brigaders, including several Britons. 

This was in contrast, he added, with the ‘positive partnership’ developed with the Catalan government to identify, in some cases with the help of family DNA, the remains of the 90 British Battalion volunteers who were killed in the Battle of the Ebro.

The meeting also heard from Michaela Tracey-Ramos, a Unison national executive member with proud part-Spanish Republican heritage. She reported on the solidarity trips to Spain she had been on with the North West Trade Union International Committee.

Both Jon Trickett and fellow Labour MP Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington) said they would be willing to take up in Parliament the issue of the graves of British Brigaders.

Another Labour MP, Chris Hinchliff (North East Hertfordshire), said he would like to invite an IBMT speaker to give a talk in his constituency.

Lord Richard Balfe, a Conservative peer, recalled as an MEP in the 1970s and 80s meeting descendants of Spanish monarchists who had gone into exile in Lisbon because they opposed Franco.

Jon Trickett and Ian Lavery (third and second from right), with Michaela Tracey-Ramos (right) and (from left) Jim Jump, Helen Oclee-Brown (IBMT Executive Officer) and Richard Baxell.