Controversy (magazine)

The magazine originated as the internal bulletin of the party, but from 1936 onwards it branched out to reach a wider left-leaning readership.

Among its international contributors were Franz Borkenau, Max Eastman, Paul Frölich, Julián Gorkin, Sidney Hook, Jomo Kenyatta, Jay Lovestone, George Padmore, Marceau Pivert, Victor Serge, August Thalheimer, Tom Wintringham, Bernard Wolfe and Simone Weil.

[1] The first editor of Controversy was the school teacher, and later Independent Labour Party chairman, C. A. Smith.

According to historian Raymond Challinor, Smith played a pivotal role in turning Controversy into a publication where "the many diverse views held within the working-class movement could be openly discussed without rancour.

"[1] After Smith the magazine was edited by Jon Evans together with George Padmore and then later by R. E.