Socialist Union (SU)

This collection contains: minutes, circulars, etc, 1950-1959; records concerning publications, 1950s; records concerning schools and conferences, 1955-1958; records concerning SU's finances, 1953-1958; records concerning membership, 1950s.

Socialist Union was formed in 1951 as the successor to the Socialist Vanguard Group, which had originated as the British section of the Militant Socialist International. It was intended to be a more orthodox and broadly-based 'ginger group' within the Labour Party. It acquired an influential position among 'revisionist' circles in the party and was wound up in June 1959, when its chairman, Allan Flanders, believed that its aims had been achieved.

Reference: R M Douglas, 'No Friend of Democracy: The Socialist Vanguard Group, 1941–50', Contemporary British History, 16: 4, 51 — 86 (2002).

The reference codes of these records have been determined by their physical order rather than their catalogue order.

This collection is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

These records were deposited by Dr Rene Saran, Mary Saran's daughter, in November 1977 and February 2013.

Link to full catalogue: https://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/SCU

The records forming MSS.173 were in the custody of Mary Saran (1897-1976), who between 1941 and 1955 was editor, then joint editor with Dr Rita Hinden, of 'Socialist Vanguard/'Socialist Commentary', which up until October 1947 was the organ of the Socialist Vanguard Group.

The Modern Records Centre also holds records of: the Socialist Vanguard Group (SVG); 'Socialist Vanguard/Socialist Commentary', the official organ of the SVG until October 1947; the Society for the Furtherance of Critical Philosophy; Walter Fliess, member of the ISK and the Socialist Union.