Durham turnout shows Miners' Gala still matters

Some 150,000 people filled the streets of Durham last Saturday for the 131st Durham Miners Gala.

The procession was huge—starting early in the morning and continuing until around 2pm. Speakers included a number of trade union general secretaries.

All four Labour leadership candidates were at the event—but only left wing candidate Jeremy Corbyn was allowed to speak at the rally.

Dave Lowdon from Bishop Auckland in Durham was at the Gala. He told Socialist Worker that there was a lot of support among the marchers for Corbyn.

He added, “There’s been a lot of stuff in the local press about whether the Gala is still relevant. But the fact that 150,000 people turned out shows that it clearly still is.”