Unusual honesty from the Graun...

[JNugent]

<https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/may/06/bernard-hill-obituary>

As part of a Bernard Hill obituary, and on the subject of the BBC drama
series "The Boys From the Blackstuff" (1982).

QUOTE:
The series, watched by more than five million viewers on its initial
broadcast, was a spin-off from Bleasdale’s television play The Black
Stuff (written in 1978 but not screened until 1980). Following a group
of out-of-work tarmac-layers, the series was widely seen as a howl of
anger against the iniquities [sic] of Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative
government, though four of its five episodes had been written before the
Tories came to power.
ENDQUOTE

Written during Callaghan's time in government, as was the original "The
Black Stuff".

[Farmer Giles]

Post by JNugent
<https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/may/06/bernard-hill-obituary>
As part of a Bernard Hill obituary, and on the subject of the BBC drama
series "The Boys From the Blackstuff" (1982).
The series, watched by more than five million viewers on its initial
broadcast, was a spin-off from Bleasdale’s television play The Black
Stuff (written in 1978 but not screened until 1980). Following a group
of out-of-work tarmac-layers, the series was widely seen as a howl of
anger against the iniquities [sic] of Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative
government, though four of its five episodes had been written before the
Tories came to power.
ENDQUOTE
Written during Callaghan's time in government, as was the original "The
Black Stuff".

Yes it's quite true that the Scouse determination and desire for
self-destruction required no help from any government.

As for it being 'Widely seen as a howl of anger against the iniquities
of Thatcher's Conservative government', I'm not too sure about that. I
remember it well and I don't recall that being the general feeling. More
a portrayal of the lunatic asylum that was Liverpool at the time.

Thatcher did plenty of damage, all over industrial Britain, but Scousers
were perfectly capable of doing that themselves without any outside
help. From corruption and disruption in the docks, to Derek Hatton and
the Toxteth riots, it was a volatile place.

Liverpool suffered far earlier than most places from an affliction that
now affects most other large cities in Britain, too many people with
loyalties elsewhere.

[JNugent]

Post by Farmer Giles

Post by JNugent
<https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/may/06/bernard-hill-obituary>
As part of a Bernard Hill obituary, and on the subject of the BBC
drama series "The Boys From the Blackstuff" (1982).
The series, watched by more than five million viewers on its initial
broadcast, was a spin-off from Bleasdale’s television play The Black
Stuff (written in 1978 but not screened until 1980). Following a group
of out-of-work tarmac-layers, the series was widely seen as a howl of
anger against the iniquities [sic] of Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative
government, though four of its five episodes had been written before
the Tories came to power.
ENDQUOTE
Written during Callaghan's time in government, as was the original
"The Black Stuff".

Yes it's quite true that the Scouse determination and desire for
self-destruction required no help from any government.
As for it being 'Widely seen as a howl of anger against the iniquities
of Thatcher's Conservative government', I'm not too sure about that. I
remember it well and I don't recall that being the general feeling. More
a portrayal of the lunatic asylum that was Liverpool at the time.
Thatcher did plenty of damage, all over industrial Britain, but Scousers
were perfectly capable of doing that themselves without any outside
help. From corruption and disruption in the docks, to Derek Hatton and
the Toxteth riots, it was a volatile place.
Liverpool suffered far earlier than most places from an affliction that
now affects most other large cities in Britain, too many people with
loyalties elsewhere.

You probably thought I was going to violently disagree with that. But we
are closer together on the subject than you might have thought; not on
every detail, but certainly on your main theme.

Unemployment in the area was well-established and even endemic, as part
of a process running since at least as early as the mid-1960s. Whether
that was self-inflicted is at least debatable.