Liverpudlian spite
The real nature of militant socialism is revealed by a truly shocking story from poor longsuffering Liverpool. That city of superlatives first had Botanic Gardens in 1803. In 1951 they were moved to Harthill where new greenhouses were built to house, in particular, a celebrated collection of orchids. Until March 1983, when the new Labour City Council cancelled a re- building programme, these Botanic Gar- dens were enjoyed by over 20,000 visitors a year. In March 1984 six gardeners at flarthill declined to take part in the coun- cil's pretentious 'Day of Action'. The reaction of Derek Hatton's socially aware and compassionate Council was swift. For refusing to strike, the gardeners were sacked. A High Court judge then ordered the men to be reinstated, so the Council closed the greenhouses instead, thus abo- lishing their jobs. The vicious political spite of the Council is demonstrated by what followed. It claimed that the buildings were dangerous and much too expensive to repair. An independent qualified surveyor concluded that the greenhouses could be repaired for £4,000 and a petition of 7,000 signatures protesting against the threatened demolition was presented to the Council, which declined even to meet with representatives of the 'Save Harthill Campaign'. Finally the Council ordered the demolition of the greenhouses as quickly as possible, but they were so sturdi- ly built that the demolition contractors took over six months to get them down.
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