By Daniel Esson As most Labour governments tend to be, the Wilson ministry of 1964-70 was far from tranquil. Taking power in 1964 with a wafer-thin majority of just four, the Wilson years were a time of significant change in Britain with the trade unions central to debates. Graeter change could have come, if now-forgotten... Continue Reading →
#OTD 1969. Commons debate Barbara Castle’s ‘In Place of Strife’ - her White Paper to reform Britain’s trade unions and wider industrial relations. She wrote in her diary that ‘I am under no illusion that I may be committing political suicide’ A thread on her battle with the Labour Party and eventual defeat Between 1964... Continue Reading →
Harold Wilson claimed the idea for the ‘University of the Air’ came to him on a flight back to Britain after a lecturing tour of Chicago University in 1963. Wilson observed their modern degree system that featured novel teaching methods such as postal correspondence, television lectures, telephone tutorials and face-to-face seminars. The first public intervention... Continue Reading →
It’s an inconvenient truth that Rugby League is at a major crossroads in its history. At the same time the Labour Party must confront its traditional voters over Brexit. As League looks to new markets in Toronto, Boston and New York, Labour is increasingly reliant on its inner city activist base to win the next election. Are they in danger of... Continue Reading →
Smethwick. 1964. The original 'Project Fear' campaign, inspired the most evocative election slogan in British political history. It saw an insurgent right-wing exploit local anger towards a 'swarm' of migrants - who were blamed for adding pressure to a severe housing crisis. It pitched an out of touch liberal elite, accused of facilitating a race to the bottom, against a... Continue Reading →
Conference can make or break a party leader and has been the scene of some of the most extraordinary moments in the Labour's history. Here is a rundown of the 40 most important conferences since 1900. This weekend, the party faithful will head down to Brighton for the annual Labour conference. We can trace its... Continue Reading →
A watershed moment in the fight for gender equality, the Equal Pay Act 1970 ‘stated that women should receive equal pay for equal work’. If they believed they were paid less than a male counterpart, engaged in similar work, they could take their employer to a tribunal. The Road to 1970 Whilst its impact has... Continue Reading →
