Category: Electoral Reform

History of Parliament Trust, 17th Century history, 18th Century history, Electoral Reform, Georgian, Stuart

History of Parliament dissertation competition 2016

Every year the History organises a competition for the best undergraduate dissertation presented in 2016 on a subject relating to British or Irish parliamentary or political history before 1997. Universities across the country submit a wide range of entries of a very high standard, this year covering everything from 17th century political philosophy to Margaret Thatcher’s foreign policy and managerial style. Our judges, the Trust’s … Continue reading History of Parliament dissertation competition 2016

Emma Peplow1 Comment
Modern, 20th century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Parties, Social history

‘Elections and how to fight them’: electioneering a century ago

We continue our series on election campaigning through the centuries today. Dr Kathryn Rix, Assistant Editor of the Victorian Commons, gives us an insight into the campaign trail at the turn of the 20th century… The title of this post, ‘Elections and how to fight them’, comes from a handbook written in 1905 by John Seymour Lloyd. This was just one of several guides published … Continue reading ‘Elections and how to fight them’: electioneering a century ago

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Conferences, Seminars and Events, 19th Century history, Electoral Reform, Victorian

Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Martin Spychal, ‘One of the best men of business we had ever met’: Thomas Drummond, the boundary commission and the 1832 Reform Act

At our last ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar, Martin Spychal, holder of an AHRC collaborative doctoral award with the History of Parliament and Institute of Historical Research, gave a paper on Thomas Drummond and the 1832 Reform Act. Here Martin gives an overview of his paper… Thomas Drummond is best known for his invention of a portable limelight device (which would illuminate the world of … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Martin Spychal, ‘One of the best men of business we had ever met’: Thomas Drummond, the boundary commission and the 1832 Reform Act

Martin Spychal3 Comments
Conferences, Seminars and Events, 19th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Local History, Parties, Victorian

Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Richard Aldous (University of Winchester), ‘Electoral politics in an age of uncertainty: the case of ‘Winchester Man’ 1830-1880’

Reporting back from the first ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar of the year… Our seminar returned for 2015 last week when Dr Richard Aldous, from the University of Winchester, spoke on ‘Electoral politics in an age of uncertainty: the case of ‘Winchester man’, 1830-1880.’ Dr Aldous’s work explores the nineteenth century electorate through electoral registers, poll books and by then tracing the lives of registered … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Richard Aldous (University of Winchester), ‘Electoral politics in an age of uncertainty: the case of ‘Winchester Man’ 1830-1880’

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Interregnum, 17th Century history, Electoral Reform, Legal history, Local History, Social history, Stuart

Seventeenth-century calls for English devolution

With the publication today of the Smith Commission recommending further powers for the Scottish Parliament, Philip Baker, Research Fellow on the 1624 Parliamentary Diaries project, discusses proposals for English devolution during the 1640s… The current demands for greater devolution and decentralisation of power from central government raise the prospect, as some commentators have acknowledged, of the most significant constitutional changes since the Glorious Revolution of 1688-9. … Continue reading Seventeenth-century calls for English devolution

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Victorian, 19th Century history, Conferences, Seminars and Events, Electoral Reform, Irish History, Scottish History, Welsh History

Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Naomi Lloyd-Jones on ‘Deconstructing Westminster: towards a four nations history of the Irish Home Rule crisis, c.1886-93’

Naomi Lloyd-Jones of King’s College, London writes a guest post about her recent paper given to the ‘Parliaments, politics and people’ seminar. I spoke at the opening seminar of the summer term on ‘Deconstructing Westminster: towards a four nations history of the Irish Home Rule crisis, c.1886-93’. My paper offered an overview of my PhD research at King’s College London, on the crisis as it … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Naomi Lloyd-Jones on ‘Deconstructing Westminster: towards a four nations history of the Irish Home Rule crisis, c.1886-93’

Naomi Lloyd-Jones2 Comments
Georgian, 19th Century history, Electoral Reform, Local History, Social history

Protesting MPs: Peterloo and its aftermath

The Green Party MP Caroline Lucas is due to appear in court tomorrow after her involvement in anti-fracking protests during August.  In a public statement Lucas argued that she ‘firmly believe[s] in the right to peaceful protest.’ She is, of course, not the first MP whose commitment to a cause has led to arrest and prosecution. Among the most famous cases are those associated with … Continue reading Protesting MPs: Peterloo and its aftermath

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Local History, Victorian

‘Watched with considerable curiosity’: The first secret ballot in Britain, 15 August 1872

Dr Kathryn Rix, of the Victorian Commons, tells us about the very first election by secret ballot in Britain… Today marks the anniversary of the first occasion on which the secret ballot was used to elect a British MP, under the provisions of the 1872 Ballot Act. The poll, held in the Yorkshire borough of Pontefract on 15 August 1872, was ‘watched with considerable curiosity’ throughout … Continue reading ‘Watched with considerable curiosity’: The first secret ballot in Britain, 15 August 1872

Kathryn Rix9 Comments
Interregnum, 17th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Welsh History

Welsh Electoral Arithmetic, 1640-1660

As today is St David’s day, and in preparation for the upcoming ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar in which Rhodri Morgan, the former First Minister for Wales, will speak, our blogs will focus on Wales. In our first blog, Dr Stephen Roberts discusses Welsh representation in Parliament during the Cromwellian Protectorate. Wales was not well represented at the time, with the notable (and brief!) exception of Swansea; a very different … Continue reading Welsh Electoral Arithmetic, 1640-1660

Stephen Roberts1 Comment
Stuart, 17th Century history, Electoral Reform, Interregnum

The Agreements of the People, 1647-1649

The History’s Philip Baker tells us about his new book, out this week, on the Levellers’ Agreements of the People.. Many people might be surprised to learn that we need not have waited until the present day for fixed-term parliaments, or even until the 1832 Reform Act for a significant expansion of the franchise and redistribution of parliamentary seats, if proposals discussed at the height … Continue reading The Agreements of the People, 1647-1649

History of Parliament6 Comments