One of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest advisers will headline a hard-left celebration of the “inspirational” Russian Revolution this weekend. Andrew Murray, Unite’s Chief of Staff, who worked in the Labour leader’s office during the election, will deliver a speech at a London conference convened by the “Russian Revolution Centenary Committee”. Other figures close to Corbyn set to speak include ASLEF hardliner Tosh McDonald, who shared a platform with the Labour leader at last year’s Durham Miners’ Gala. Richard Leonard, MSP, Labour’s spokesperson on the economy in the Scottish Parliament, will also speak.

The “Russian Revolution Centenary Committee” said:

“A range of bodies have come together to commemorate this historic event which continues to be an inspiration to millions of people today.”

Meanwhile, Labour clubs up and down the country have been gripped by an outbreak of red fever. Whitstable Labour called the Russian Revolution “a watershed event in the struggle”:

A Carlisle Labour event, “commemorating 100 years of the Russian Revolution”, was publicised online by Momentum:

Top Corbynista Paul Mason this week called the Russian Revolution a “beacon to the rest of humanity”. Mason wrote:

“Though I reject Bolshevism, and date the degeneration of the revolution to the early 20s, I will be among those celebrating… Estonia earlier this year demanded the leftwing Greek government admit that “communism was as bad as fascism” (it refused).”

The Russian Revolution of course opened the door to a brutal regime which culminated in more than 20 million deaths under Stalin. A Twitter backlash against the hard left is making the facts clear…

Just to be clear what it meant to my family. The confiscation of their property, years in hard labour camp for my grandfather, exile to the edges of Siberia for my Dad (aged 10) and my grandmother. Never going home again. All this happened because of October 1917. https://t.co/bG2sv7vVXW

— Daniel Finkelstein (@Dannythefink) 31 October 2017