Last year, Merlin Press published my book, 'Guilty and Proud of it! Poplar's rebel councillors and guardians 1919-1925'. Details are here: link

It tells the story of the Labour Council in Poplar, east London, which significantly improved life for the area's working-class residents. The Council came into conflict with the government and with the unfair rating (taxation) system, and this conflict took thirty of its councillors to prison in 1921. The thirty included Angela's grandfather George Lansbury, her father Edgar Lansbury, and Edgar's (first) wife, Minnie Lansbury.

They remained in prison for six weeks, and the massive popular support they enjoyed led them to victory. They forced the government to change the rating system so that rich areas put more money in, and poor areas got more money out.

Angela Lansbury has always been proud of George, Edgar and Minnie's role in this important struggle for social justice, and fans of Angela may well be interested in reading more about her family and about the area of east London in which she was born in 1925, the year in which the story in this book comes to a close.

Thank you.

Janine Booth
Author