A POLITICIAN spoke to schoolchildren in Bridgwater about being branded a communist, parasite and militant during the Poll Tax protests of the early 90s.

Local Labour councillor Brian Smedley visited a GCSE history lesson at East Bridgwater Community School as students are studying demonstrations in the 20th century.

Brian was a leading member of the Bridgwater Anti-Poll Tax Union where campaigners fought against what they claimed were unfair taxes at the time.

He told how he was at the Trafalgar Square riot in March 1990 that ended with buildings being burnt down and shops being looted, and described the police tactics to control the demonstrators.

Students asked about the way the events were reported in the newspapers and Brian said he was called a communist, parasite and militant in the local press.

He was also asked to compare the Miners’ Strike in the 1980s to the Poll Tax protests.

Brian told how he had been stopped by police on the way to a mass picket and how he supported the miners on the picket lines at Dunball and Hinkley Point.

The school thanked Brian for giving up his time to speak to the students.