47 Summary - updated 28.9

As we are asked to 'consult 'ourselves on what public services should go, and how to pay for the current economic crisis, this moving image project will explore how Liverpool City council faced with similar choices in 1983 and returned millions of pounds of grants to Liverpool from the Tory Government built 5000 homes, 3 parks and 6 nurseries and created hundreds of properly paid jobs and traineeships.

In early 1987, despite active widespread support, 5 law lords upheld a decision of an unelected auditor to surcharge and expel the 47 elected councillors from office. With over £340,000 surcharge the Liverpool 47.

A few months later, on June 11th 1987, at the general election, Tories are returned to power nationally. In Liverpool Labour fought under the banner of 'We support the 47' and won a landslide vote, which had it been repeated nationally would have seen the Tories into a minority.

The then Labour leader, Neil Kinnock, called the campaign led by the 47 as a 'grotesque chaos' and media and politicians queued up to discredit those involved. But whose chaos begun to turnaround the criminal poverty that many people were subjected to? And whose chaos is now cutting vital jobs and services across Liverpool and nationally, 35,000 redundancies notices that have been sent out in Sheffield and Birmingham alongside severe cuts to vital services.

This project will be an intimate portrait from the individual, mediated and collective memories of many of those involved. Re-opening a chapter of history of working class history, hidden and distorted. Making the invisible visible, to look back and forward simultaneously.

Characters: Members of the 47, a housing worker, a photographer and activist have already given interviews offering a thought provoking and humorous insights into what democracy could look like, and what politicians could look like and most importantly do if they were to really represent thier communities.

Dave Sinclair, Photographer, has agreed for his photographs to be used. One of the few journalists allowed into any meeting and event over that period. His photographs include key moments in this political events and of landscapes and members of community with a considerate and critical eye.

Often women are under exposed in histories of all kinds and we aim to try and encourage women involved at that time to speak and hear their memories and experiences.

Wider project engagement: Ideally I also want to gain more involvement from a wider group of people. A conversation in the city and other cities about what is happening and what could happen. Perhaps send a letter about the project to 47 houses that were built by the council, what did you know? What does that mean to you? What do you remember of that time? Requesting responses, verbally and visually.

Visually - The piece will incorporate photographs from Dave Sinclair and others of water..movement and landscapes, Parks, cityscape and activity. Allowing stories to weave in and out of locations and places. The past and present interwoven.