Five men, six days: Pentonville voices
Parliament
On 25 July, the same day as the march to the prison, a deputation of dockers, having obtained tickets from the Labour Party, listened to the debate in the House of Commons on the docks dispute and the general industrial situation.
Colin Ross: 鈥淏arbara Castle was under orders from the Labour Party to stay in the bar鈥� (2:29)
Ross鈥檚 unfavourable opinion of the debate; in response to Prime Minister Edward Heath鈥檚 鈥渋nfamous statement鈥� about small businesses being bullied by pickets, he insists to Labour MP Eric Heffer that the Midland Cold Store is owned by Lord Vestey鈥檚 Union International meat importing corporation.
Release
In response to an application from the Official Solicitor on the afternoon of 26 July, the National Industrial Relations Court ordered the Five鈥檚 release, mainly on the grounds that on the same day the Law Lords had judged in a similar case that trade unions were primarily responsible for the unlawful acts of their shop stewards (overturning a previous decision by the Court of Appeal). The Five, who had still not purged their contempt of court, were borne from the prison in triumph.
Tony Merrick: 鈥渂efore I knew it we were at the gates, on the shoulders and away鈥� (3:29)
The 鈥渕eek and mild鈥� explanation of the reasons for the release (鈥渁 load of rubbish鈥� in Merrick鈥檚 view); joyful tears of old trade unionists; the gradual return to normality.
Bill Chapman: 鈥渇rivolity and joviality boiled over鈥� (1:02)
Celebrations at the local Labour club lead to the abandonment of a meeting.
Conclusions
Immediate victory, long-term defeat?
Eddie Prevost: 鈥渋f you want to control a stampede you鈥檝e got to run out in front of it鈥� (2:10)
The trade union leadership took over the rank-and-file struggle led by the shop stewards which had helped to secure the release the Five; the Establishment was temporarily beaten, but the greater struggle to secure the dockers' future was not won.