On Saturday the 8th April 2023, I hosted a film screening of the 2015 BBC film REG at Higher Kinnerton Village Hall, to mark the 20th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. 

In 2003, Lance Corporal Tom Keys from North Wales, was one of six British servicemen who were killed by an Iraqi ambush in Majar al-Kabir. Following revelations about the British Government's culpability in his son's death, Reg Keys stood against Tony Blair in his Sedgefield seat in the 2005 General Election.

REG, the film, tells the tale of how one man took the fight to hold Tony Blair responsible directly to the electorate.

I was honoured to have been joined for the screening by Bob Clay (pictured, above), who was the Labour MP for Sunderland North from 1983 to 1992 and acted as Reg Keys' agent in the election, running his campaign. Bob is one of the main characters in the film, portayed by Ralph Brown.

Bob and his wife Uta, travelled all the way up from Camarthen in South Wales to take part, with Bob kindly taking to the floor to answer questions from the audience after the film.

Bob treated the audience to a number of fascinating insights about the campaign and the lengths which Tony Blair's 'New' Labour and the press went to in order to stymie Reg's campaign.

Reg Keys' story is an incredibly important part of British political history; a lesson in the disastrous consequence of politicians making decisions based on a pack of lies.

Bob had kept many of the campaign materials from the election, which he brought with him and which are photographed, below: