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 →
A new collection of essays provides a welcome reappraisal of the only man to hold all four offices of state. “If you must have a Conservative Prime Minister, I’m your man” – Sunday Mirror, April 1979 At the end of season three of Netflix’s The Crown viewers watched a tearful Harold Wilson hand in his resignation.... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
