Tag: Conservative party

20th century history, History of Parliament Trust, Oral history, Post-1945 history

‘Always great fun: particularly when there was a row going on’: memories of the 1922 Committee

Once again, the powerful backbench Conservative 1922 committee is back in the headlines. Here Dr Emma Peplow, head of our Oral History Project, shares some of former MPs’ memories of its workings and influence… Whilst the 1922 Committee comes to public attention only at times of political drama, for the former Conservative MPs interviewed for our oral history project, it was a central part of … Continue reading ‘Always great fun: particularly when there was a row going on’: memories of the 1922 Committee

conniejefferyLeave a comment
20th century history, Oral history, Post-1945 history

A tribute to David Mudd MP

In the fourth in our series of tributes to our Oral History Project interviewees who have sadly passed away during the current crisis, Emma Peplow looks back on the life of David Mudd, Conservative MP for Falmouth and Camborne, 1970-92. David Mudd was a lifelong Conservative party member, but also – unusually – a member of the Cornish party Mebyon Kernow, an example of both … Continue reading A tribute to David Mudd MP

conniejefferyLeave a comment
19th Century history, 20th century history, Women and Parliament

Before the vote was won: women and politics, 1868-1918

Dr Kathryn Rix, Assistant Editor of the House of Commons 1832-1868 Section explains the relationship between women, Parliament and politics in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, particularly focusing on their expanded role within local government in the prelude to the Representation of the People Act 1918. This post is based in part on Kathryn’s contribution to the book accompanying the ‘Voice and Vote’ exhibition currently … Continue reading Before the vote was won: women and politics, 1868-1918

Kathryn Rix2 Comments
20th century history, Post-1945 history

The Conservative Party and British Indians, 1975-1990

Today’s blog is from our 2017 undergraduate dissertation competition winner, Jilna Shah of Cambridge University for her thesis on the Conservative Party and British Indians in the long 1980s. Jilna was presented her prize by Chair of Trustees Gordon Marsden and Director of the History of Parliament, Dr Stephen Roberts during our annual lecture in January, ‘The Second Reform Act of 1867: Party interest or … Continue reading The Conservative Party and British Indians, 1975-1990

sammysturgessLeave a comment
20th century history, Military history, World War I MPs

‘All that he hoped for and all that he had he gave’: Philip Kirkland Glazebrook (1880-1918)

Continuing our series on MPs who died while serving in the First World War, Dr. Kathryn Rix looks at an unlikely former MP for Manchester South…   On 7th March 1918 Philip Kirkland Glazebrook was killed in action while serving with the army in Palestine. Six years earlier, to the very day, he had taken his seat in the Commons as the newly elected Conservative MP for South Manchester. … Continue reading ‘All that he hoped for and all that he had he gave’: Philip Kirkland Glazebrook (1880-1918)

Kathryn RixLeave a comment
19th Century history, Conferences/seminars

Parliaments, Politics & People Seminar: Kathryn Rix, The professionalisation of electoral politics: the Liberal and Conservative party agents, 1880-1910

At our last ‘Parliaments, Politics & People’ seminar, Dr. Kathryn Rix, assistant editor of our Victorian Commons project, spoke on ‘The professionalisation of electoral politics: the Liberal and Conservative party agents, 1880-1910’. The professional party agents are the subject of her recent book, Parties, agents and electoral culture in England, 1880-1910, recently published by Boydell and Brewer in the Royal Historical Society’s Studies in History … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics & People Seminar: Kathryn Rix, The professionalisation of electoral politics: the Liberal and Conservative party agents, 1880-1910

Kathryn RixLeave a comment
19th Century history, Party splits

Party splits and political change in the 19th century

This summer, following the internal wrangling that occurred in most parties following the Brexit referendum, we’ve been taking a look at historic cases of party division. In today’s blog, Dr Philip Salmon, Editor of the Victorian Commons, discusses the impact of two major splits within the Tory and Conservative parties during the 19th century… In modern Britain we are not used to political parties splitting … Continue reading Party splits and political change in the 19th century

The History of ParliamentLeave a comment
20th century history, Oral history, Post-1945 history

The parties and Europe 2: Conservatives and Maastricht

Earlier this week we delved in to our oral history archive to discover the divisions within the Labour Party over Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community (EEC) in the 1970s. In today’s blogpost, we’ve returned to our archive to uncover memories of the struggle to ratify the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, and the resulting impact on the Conservative Party. The Maastricht Treaty was agreed in … Continue reading The parties and Europe 2: Conservatives and Maastricht

The History of ParliamentLeave a comment
20th century history, Oral history, Post-1945 history

Memories of Thatcher’s fall

25 years ago this week the Conservative Party were in the process of electing a new leader after Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister for over 11 years, stood down. The story of Thatcher’s resignation has long been a controversial one within the Conservative Party, seen by some as an ‘assassination’ and by many as high political drama. This is reflected in many of our oral history … Continue reading Memories of Thatcher’s fall

The History of ParliamentLeave a comment
20th century history, Oral history, Post-1945 history

MPs’ memories of candidate selection

Today’s blogpost is from one of our Oral History Project interviewers, Emme Ledgerwood, who has used our archive to explore the experience of candidate selection… The vast majority of MPs arrive at Westminster on a party ticket, and one of the most critical junctures on that road remains getting selected as a prospective parliamentary candidate for a political party. Candidate selection is governed only by … Continue reading MPs’ memories of candidate selection

The History of Parliament1 Comment