OPINION: Howard Williamson - It's their right to make the 'wrong'choice

Before I became a "proper" youth worker, I was doing my initial research on the Milltown Boys. At the time they were quintessential skinheads, dressed in denim jackets, turned-up jeans and oxblood 17-hole Doc Martens. Long before they were 18, we had had casual conversations about politics: they certainly thought their world would be a better place if Black people were "sent home" - wherever that might be. We discussed the prevailing political system and I recall mentioning the general idea of democracy and the sanctity of the vote.

Their first chance to vote in a general election was in 1979. That Thursday evening some called round at my house. The election was not particularly prominent in our opening topics of conversation, but eventually I broached the subject. Had any of them voted? "Waste of time," they retorted. I told them there was still time to vote and four of them strapped their boots back on and sauntered off to the polling station. There were only three choices in our constituency because our MP was George Thomas, Commons speaker at the time. Custom had it that the main opposition parties did not contest the speaker's seat. So there was no Conservative or Liberal option. The boys had to choose between Thomas, Plaid Cymru and the National Front.