Kenneth Williams and Jimmy Reid - Parkinson 1973

In early 1973, Kenneth Williams was a guest on the Parkinson Show, with actress Maggie Smith and Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman. He became involved in a heated exchange with Michael Parkinson over the conduct of the trade union movement, and social and political ideologies more generally. Although by today's standards it was fairly mild, it garnered such a reaction that Kenneth was invited back to debate with union leader Jimmy Reid for a special show.

The complete segment from the preceding show can be found here;

   • Michael Parkinson, Kenneth Williams, ...  

Six years later in 1979, Jimmy Reid appeared in an unlikely trio of guests with Billy Connolly and Lauren Bacall. Link to that companion upload here;

   • Classic Parkinson: 1979 - Union Leade...  

At the time of the debate episode with Kenneth Williams, Jimmy Reid had recently taken on the Heath government, staging a "work-in" at Upper-Clyde Shipbuilders in protest against plans to close the shipyard, with the loss of up to 6 000 jobs. The unusual industrial action received global attention, and the Heath government backed down, extending subsidies to keep the yard operating.

Whichever side of the argument you might be on, this is an illuminating debate, which provides a fascinating snapshot of 1970s Britain, and a side of Kenneth Williams rarely seen.

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