To my mind, saying "you're so bigoted there's no point arguing with you" is both provocative and patronising - which was the total content of cllr's post . . all tribute to AliUK for not rising to the bait . . And I remain of the opinion that cllr needs to cast the beam out from his own eye before concerning himself with the mote of others! In addition, cllr makes not a single contribution to the subject of this thread.

But back to the point . . To add to MikeofN's comments, Shirley Collins was born of Communist parents (and in Hastings that really would have put her family out on a limb) but rejected the inflexibility of "the party line" (while remaining entirely left-wing in its sympaties). This was at a point when MacColl was being rigidly and ridiculously authodox - a position he later relaxed considerably. (I had often heard talk of MacColl in these terms - which totally failed to match my own experience of the man. Shirley is the first person I've encountered who's able to give a first-hand account of this side of MacColl's character. Someone needs to get her to write her autobiography!)

G.