There has been some debate about whether the idea that people should only sing songs relevant to their own backgrounds arose democratically or within the Critics Circle or was a dictat from MacColl.

One possible answer comes from the book, via the writing of MacColl on sleeve notes (quoted on page 159).

'I [note the pronoun} have made it a point on insisting on the rule that singers do not sing anything but the songs of their own native tradition.'