As Coronation Street celebrates its diamond jubilee, is it time to take it seriously as the chronicler of our times?  On 9 December 1960, workers across the country clocked off after a week’s toil on the factories, steel plants and coal mines that made up much of heavy-industrialised Britain. With their wage packets, many would… Continue reading The Nation’s Favourite: Why Coronation Street Matters

As Spitting Image returns to our screens, its original impact has not been forgotten  It’s February 1984 and English television is still ruled by just four stations. Regular political programming consists of the evening news, Panorama and a new debate show called Question Time, while television cameras are not yet allowed into the House of… Continue reading What Spitting Image did to British politics

The moment of pure political theatre that endures its legacy thirty-five years on  It was at Preston railway station, in September 1985, as he made his way back to London from the TUC Conference that Neil Kinnock realised his time had come. Picking up the Lancashire Evening Post, the Labour leader read of the latest saga… Continue reading The Brink: “I’ll tell you and you’ll listen” The Neil Kinnock speech that lives on

A new book celebrates 125 years of rugby league but shines a light on a world that the sport has left behind  It is May 1934 and early morning rain puts King George V and Queen Mary off attending the Challenge Cup final at Wembley. In their place, Lord Derby is the guest of honour… Continue reading Managed Decline: The Lost World of Rugby League England

Costing £100,000, the Labour’s got life and soul’ was a five week PR blitz launched on August 31st1969.  After eighteen months of research, David Kingsley of Kinglsey, Manton and Palmer came up with the ‘soul’ theme.  Their advertising firm had been previously responsible for a Salvation Army slogan “For God’s sake, Care” The campaign sought… Continue reading Soul Love: Labour’s 70s Rebrand

Beginning a new series on the Class of 1945, Euan Saunders takes a look at Attlee and his role in Churchill's War Cabinet Clement Attlee embodies the Labour Movement. As the first Labour Prime Minister to govern with a majority he oversaw the most transformative economic and social programme in British political history. It is… Continue reading The Class of 45: Attlee’s Critical War Years

October 8th 1959 General Election. Shock as Labour suffer third defeat in a row and 'SuperMac' triumphs  After Suez - and eight years of Conservative rule - voters agree that 'they've never had it so good'.... The story of the election that triggered the question: ‘Must Labour Lose?’ Gaitskell and Bevin were in Leningrad when… Continue reading Never Had It So Good: 1959 and Must Labour Lose?

This year, Christmas and the New Year might feel a bit different than usual. But while it will be tough not seeing relatives, most of us can hopefully look forward to a festive break in secure homes where we can feel safe, warm, and well fed For thousands, perhaps millions of people, decisions will have… Continue reading Feed a Family this Christmas: The Historic ‘Labour Movement’ Calendar