Category: Parties

Contemporary History, 20th century history, Diplomacy and International Relations, Edward Heath, Factions, Harold Wilson, Modern, Oral history, Parties

The Parties and Europe 1: Labour and the 1975 Referendum

The European Referendum campaign is now in full swing, creating heated political debate and causing some unusual alliances. In British politics, however, the issue of Europe and Britain’s role in it has been long-running and divisive for both the Labour and Conservative parties. The issue features prominently in our interviews with former MPs for our oral history archive. In the first of two blogs on … Continue reading The Parties and Europe 1: Labour and the 1975 Referendum

Emma PeplowLeave a comment
Conferences, Seminars and Events, 20th century history, Modern, Parties, Religious history, Social history

Parliaments, Politics and People Seminar: Peter Catterall, The Free Churches and the Parliamentary Labour Party, c.1918-39

At our first ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ Seminar of the term, Peter Catterall (University of Westminster) spoke on ‘The Free Churches and the Parliamentary Labour Party, c.1918-39‘. Here he gives an overview of his paper… Did the Labour Party, in Morgan Phillips’ famous phrase, owe ‘more to Methodism than Marx’? After all, Nonconformity had historically been closely associated with Liberalism. A historic witness for liberty … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People Seminar: Peter Catterall, The Free Churches and the Parliamentary Labour Party, c.1918-39

History of ParliamentLeave a comment
Victorian, 19th Century history, Irish History, Parliamentary Life, Parties, Religious history, Social history

‘The Story of Parliament’: Parnell and obstruction

Last year the History published ‘The Story of Parliament: Celebrating 750 years of parliament in Britain’ to mark the anniversary of Simon de Montfort’s parliament in 1265. The book is a brief introduction to the full 750 years of parliamentary history, aimed at the general reader, and available to purchase from the Houses of Parliament bookshop. On this blog we are publishing some tasters of … Continue reading ‘The Story of Parliament’: Parnell and obstruction

Paul SeawardLeave a comment
Georgian, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, George III, Parties, William Pitt the Younger

‘The Story of Parliament’: Pitt and Fox

Last year the History published ‘The Story of Parliament: Celebrating 750 years of parliament in Britain’ to mark the anniversary of Simon de Montfort’s parliament in 1265. The book is a brief introduction to the full 750 years of parliamentary history, aimed at the general reader, and available to purchase from the Houses of Parliament bookshop. On this blog we are publishing some tasters of … Continue reading ‘The Story of Parliament’: Pitt and Fox

Paul Seaward1 Comment
Conferences, Seminars and Events, 19th Century history, 20th century history, Elections, Modern, Parliamentary Life, Parties, Victorian

Parliaments, Politics & People seminar: Luke Blaxill, ‘”Big data” and the analysis of parliamentary and platform speeches, 1880-present’

In the first ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ Seminar of 2016, Dr Luke Blaxill (Hertford College, Oxford) spoke on ‘‘Big data’ and the analysis of parliamentary and platform speeches, 1880-present’. Here he discusses his paper… My paper made the argument that almost all modern historians – and perhaps especially political historians – are increasingly surrounded by huge digitised textual collections which are too large to read, … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics & People seminar: Luke Blaxill, ‘”Big data” and the analysis of parliamentary and platform speeches, 1880-present’

History of ParliamentLeave a comment
Conferences, Seminars and Events, 20th century history, Elections, Modern, Parties, Social history

Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Jonathan Moss & Gerry Stoker ‘Popular Understandings of Politics, 1945-1950: Perspectives from Mass Observation’

At the third ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar of the term Jonathan Moss, from the University of Southampton, spoke on ‘Popular Understandings of Politics: Perspectives from Mass Observation, 1945-1951.’ Here he gives us an overview of his paper… This paper reported findings from an interdisciplinary project funded by the ESRC on ‘Popular understandings of politics in Britain, 1937-2014’. The context for the project is alienation … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Jonathan Moss & Gerry Stoker ‘Popular Understandings of Politics, 1945-1950: Perspectives from Mass Observation’

History of ParliamentLeave a comment
20th century history, Contemporary History, Factions, Modern, Oral history, Parties

Labour leadership elections through the years

The Labour party’s leadership contest comes to a close this week, with the winner announced at a special conference on Saturday. Our oral history project features many former Labour MPs’ recollections of leadership contests, and the consequences of them, particularly in the 1980s as the party grappled with life in opposition and internal divisions between left and right. Former MP for Ipswich, Ken Weetch, described … Continue reading Labour leadership elections through the years

Emma PeplowLeave a comment
Social history, 20th century history, Contemporary History, Elections, Local History, Modern, Oral history, Parties

New website material on ‘From the Grassroots’

As many of you will know, over the past two years we’ve run a wonderful oral history project in Devon with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund: ‘From the Grassroots: an oral history of community politics in Devon.’ Sadly the project is about to come to an end – but not before we were able to record 70 interviews with local political activists, soon … Continue reading New website material on ‘From the Grassroots’

Emma PeplowLeave a comment
Contemporary History, 20th century history, Clement Attlee, Elections, Modern, Oral history, Parties

1945 Election: A political awakening

Seventy years ago yesterday the results of the 1945 General Election were declared. Although the poll had been held on 5 July, the results were only announced on the 26th because of the time needed to return the ballots of service men and women from overseas. The result – a Labour landslide – had a dramatic impact on British politics. The new government led by … Continue reading 1945 Election: A political awakening

Emma Peplow3 Comments
19th Century history, Conferences, Seminars and Events, Factions, Parties, Victorian

Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Alex Middleton, ‘The idea of Whiggism in mid-Victorian politics’

In an excellent conclusion to this term’s seminar programme, Dr. Alex Middleton of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, discussed Whiggism in nineteenth century British politics. He blogs for us about his paper… This paper examined how the mid-Victorians understood Whiggism and the Whigs. It started from the premise that despite Whiggism being one of the defining creeds in British political history, little attention has been paid … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Alex Middleton, ‘The idea of Whiggism in mid-Victorian politics’

History of ParliamentLeave a comment