My interest in political history sometimes finds me searching the used sections of the Amazon website for cheap second hand books.
A recent discovery was a fascinating autobiography of Victor Grayson by Reg Groves.
Grayson a working class lad from Lancashire was elected as an MP in the 1907 Colne Valley byelection at the tender age of 25.
He was by all accounts a brilliant orator and passionate about socialism.
This was before the Russian revolution when socialist ideas were rapidly gaining popularity amongst the working classes seeking a fairer system than the one they were living under.
Grayson is particularly interesting because he fought for a seat in parliament independent of senior Labour figures suspicious and fearful of him.
He was successful but found his time in the House of Commons frustrating, as a lone voice he was isolated and became increaingly aware of the Labour leaderships desire to destroy him.
Suspension from the chamber came when he attempted to force a debate on unemployment and defeat in the 1910 General Election followed.
He returned to speaking, drawing big crowds, but began to drink heavily and his health suffered.
Two attempts at a return to the commons failed, a trip Down Under for more speaking engagements led to service in the trenches as a private in the New Zealand army and then oblivion.
Grayson returned to Britain after the Armistice and became aware of what he believed was a cash for honours scheme.
He threathened to expose it, then disappeared in mysterious circumcumstances.
There are various theories on what happened to him but none have been verified.
What we do know is that his life was wracked by tragedy, his wife died in childbirth and the movement he believed in shunned him.
However his courage and commitment to social justice remain an inspiration to all radicals in politics.
What hasn’t changed is a Labour establishment who are still pretty much as conservative as they were back then.
Those who think that Corbyn and his allies will change that are mistaken.
I like to think that if Grayson were around now he would find his voice in a different party,
* David Warren is a lifetime political activist for progressive causes and a liberal.