We're Backing Britain 

Original version

BBC Radio 4 Extra

Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama

Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama. With recent favourites from BBC Radio 4.

BBC Radio 4 FM

BBC Radio 4 LW

Nicholas Boulton

Felicity Duncan

Catherine Lamb

Geoff McGivern

Alana Ramsey

Wilf Scolding

Duncan Wisbey

David Morley

Sean Grundy

Richard Clemmow

We're Backing Britain

Drama

25/09/2018

BBC Radio 4 - We're Backing Britain

How the 1968 Backing Britain campaign became a political storm in a very English teacup.

4 Extra Debut. The government‘s reeling from the devaluation of the pound in 1968 and rejection by the Common Market. Stars Nicholas Boulton.

Based on the true story of the 1968 'I'm Backing Britain' campaign. 

Britain's economy is teetering on the brink. Strikes, devaluation and rejection from the Common Market are making Prime Minister Harold Wilson's life a misery. 

The Labour government has been fighting budget deficits with austerity measures, while struggling with a small Commons majority and attempting to change Britain's relationship with Europe.  A cloud of doom and gloom seems to be descending over the country after the heady days of the Swinging Sixties.

What the country needs is some Dunkirk spirit - to wave the Union Jack from the White Cliffs and fight back. 

When the typists of Colt Ventilation decide to work half an hour a day for free to help the country fight economic hard times, they are championed by the great and good. But they have unwittingly put their local shop steward on a collision course with the union big boys. 

Initially encouraged by Wilson, the idea of working for free is loved by the right and quickly hated by the left. Labour is put under pressure by the TUC to quash this "economic illiteracy".

David Morley's satirical play takes us back to the doom and gloom of Great Britain in the late 1960s, and shines a light on the industrial strife of the 70s. 

Valerie White    ……    Felicity Duncan
Brenda Mumford    ……    Catherine Lamb
Joan Southwel    ……     Alana Ramsey 
Fred Price    ……    Nicholas Boulton
Jack O’Hea    ……    Duncan Wisbey
Harry Tyler    ……    Geoffrey McGivern
Rory McCarthy    ……    Wilf Scolding

Other parts played by members of the cast.  

Director: Sean Grundy

Producer: Richard Clemmow

A Perfectly Normal production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2018.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

We're Backing Britain

Contributors

Genres

BBC Radio 4 Extra

About BBC Radio 4 Extra