The 1926 General Strike and Parliamentary Democracy

One hundred years ago today, the 1926 General Strike broke out in Britain. To mark the anniversary, Alfie Steer has explored its significance for Britain’s parliamentary system. In 1925, the private owners of Britain’s mining industry (nicknamed the ‘sick man of British capitalism’, [Miliband, p.121]) tried to revive its international competitiveness by proposing a series of drastic wage cuts and an extension in working hours. … Continue reading The 1926 General Strike and Parliamentary Democracy

Parliaments, Politics and People: Patriotic Labour 1918

In the last session of our IHR seminar, Parliaments, Politics and People, we enjoyed a paper from Professor Emeritus of Politics from the University of York, David Howell. Below he summarises his paper on patriotic Labour in the wake of the Great War… Lloyd George rapidly called an election following the signing of an armistice on 11 November 1918. Three days later an already scheduled … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People: Patriotic Labour 1918