We smelt the piles of rubbish in the street
and read by candles in the freezing dark,
we watched for Nazi skinheads in the park
and heard the moan of Britain's long defeat.
The old paternalism kept us down
in triple-binds of accent, race and creed;
and yet we thought we nurtured hope indeed,
though dreams of aspiration went unknown.
And then the old consensus passed away
with all its myths, delusions and refrains
and brought us to this brighter, clearer day;
a day where workers profit at their ease
in lives of freedom far from old remains;
and new perspectives flow from overseas.