Category: Parties

Victorian, 19th Century history, 20th century history, Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, Elections, Modern, Parties, Robert Peel, Victorian Commons

‘Not another one!’: going to the polls in historical perspective

With UK electors heading off to the national polls for the third time in as many years and as part of our Election 2017 series, Dr Philip Salmon, editor of the Victorian Commons, looks for similar levels of electioneering activity in earlier periods… By June the UK will have clocked up its fifth general election this century – an average of one every 3.4 years. … Continue reading ‘Not another one!’: going to the polls in historical perspective

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Social history, 20th century history, Contemporary History, Edward Heath, Elections, Harold Wilson, Modern, Oral history, Parties

Memories of the 1974 snap elections

Last week Theresa May shocked the political establishment by calling a snap election. In the first in our 2017 election campaign series, we take a look back at the two elections of 1974 through the memories of our oral history project interviewees… Modern political wisdom has urged caution on Prime Ministers considering calling early elections, in part thanks to memories of 1974. There were two … Continue reading Memories of the 1974 snap elections

Emma Peplow2 Comments
Modern, 20th century history, Minority Ethnic History, Parties, Social history

Parliament and the 1965 Race Relations Act

Passing legislation with a small majority is an ongoing problem for our current government, but this not an unusual parliamentary position. In today’s guest blog, Dr Simon Peplow discusses the difficulties faced by Labour in passing the first Race Relations Act in 1964-5 with a small majority … When Labour returned to power in 1964, they did so with a manifesto pledge to legislate against … Continue reading Parliament and the 1965 Race Relations Act

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Conferences, Seminars and Events, 19th Century history, Elections, Parties, Scottish History

Parliaments, Politics & People Seminar: ‘A distant and Whiggish country’: The Conservative Party and Scottish elections, 1832–1847

At our last ‘Parliaments, politics and people’ seminar, Gary Hutchison (University of Edinburgh – and former winner of the HPT’s undergraduate dissertation prize) spoke on his research into the Conservative Party and Scottish elections after 1832. Here he gives an overview of his paper… The Reform Act(s) of 1832 had far-reaching effects on the practical politics of elections, as well as the wider political culture … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics & People Seminar: ‘A distant and Whiggish country’: The Conservative Party and Scottish elections, 1832–1847

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, Modern, Oral history, Parliamentary Life, Parties, Scottish History

Voices from our Oral History Project: Tam Dalyell

Following the sad news last month of the death of the fondly remembered maverick MP Tam Dalyell, today we begin an occasional series exploring interviews with former MPs from our oral history project we have now lost… Since his death, Tam Dalyell’s many obituaries have praised him as a politician of principle, if one of many contradictions. He was the socialist who went to Eton; … Continue reading Voices from our Oral History Project: Tam Dalyell

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Modern, 20th century history, Factions, Parties, Ramsay MacDonald

Labour Unrest: Ramsay MacDonald and the Labour party, 1931

Our series this summer has taken a look at historical cases of division within political parties.  In our last post of the series, this week we discuss the Labour party of the 1930s, and how Ramsay MacDonald came to be reviled by the party he led for many years… The wartime split in the Liberal party and the increase in suffrage in 1918 and 1928 … Continue reading Labour Unrest: Ramsay MacDonald and the Labour party, 1931

Emma Peplow2 Comments
Modern, 20th century history, David Lloyd George, Factions, Herbert Asquith, Military history, Parties

David Lloyd George and Herbert Asquith: Liberals at war

Inspired by the political upheaval in many of our political parties after the Brexit vote, we’ve been looking this summer at some historic party splits. In today’s blog we move into the 20th century, and the personal and political rivalry between two Liberal Prime Ministers that pulled their party apart… At the declaration of war in August 1914, Herbert Asquith had been Liberal Prime Minister … Continue reading David Lloyd George and Herbert Asquith: Liberals at war

Emma Peplow1 Comment
Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Factions, Parties, Victorian

Party splits and political change in the 19th century

This summer, following the internal wrangling that occurred in most parties following the Brexit referendum, we’ve been taking a look at historic cases of party division. In today’s blog, Dr Philip Salmon, Editor of the Victorian Commons, discusses the impact of two major splits within the Tory and Conservative parties during the 19th century… In modern Britain we are not used to political parties splitting … Continue reading Party splits and political change in the 19th century

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18th Century history, Factions, Georgian Lords, Military history, Parties

‘At whose door must this resentment be laid?’ The Whig Schism of 1717

The fall-out from Brexit has caused considerable disarray in the British party system, and over the course of this summer four parties either have new leaders or are holding leadership contests. Over the summer we’ll take a look at some past examples of party tensions, and the dramatic splits that they can lead to. First in this series, Dr Robin Eagles, Senior Research Fellow in … Continue reading ‘At whose door must this resentment be laid?’ The Whig Schism of 1717

Robin Eagles2 Comments
20th century history, Contemporary History, Diplomacy and International Relations, Factions, John Major, Modern, Oral history, Parties

The parties and Europe 2: Conservatives and Maastricht

Earlier this week we delved in to our oral history archive to discover the divisions within the Labour Party over Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community (EEC) in the 1970s. In today’s blogpost, we’ve returned to our archive to uncover memories of the struggle to ratify the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, and the resulting impact on the Conservative Party. The Maastricht Treaty was agreed in … Continue reading The parties and Europe 2: Conservatives and Maastricht

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