When I first moved to Britain in the late-1960s I remember being sent to the corner-shop to do the family groceries.
I remember it being the co-op and being reminded to make sure that I told them our ‘divi’ number and getting our tokens showing how much we’d spent in store.
Twice a year, on ‘Divi Day’, our tokens would then be exchanged and the dividend distributed, and we’d get 3d (I think) for each pound we’d spent.
From then on I’ve been a huge fan of the Co-operative Movement both industrial and commercial, and indeed political.In the 1970s when I moved to the North-West to go to university, one of the first things I did was to go to the Rochdale Pioneers' original store on Toad Lane which was at that time a museum.
Early on in the 20th century there were serious talks between the Co-operative Party and the Liberals to join together and form a People’s Party. Those talks went nowhere, and as we now know they went on to join with the Labour Party.
I actually think that co-op principles are far better presented within the modern day Lib Dems.
On that note, happy birthday to the Rochdale Pioneers and progressives everywhere.
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