Tag: Labour Party history

20th century history, LGBTQ+ History, Oral history, Post-1945 history, Social history

Voices from the Oral History Project – Chris Smith

Unusually for a profile of one of our Oral History Project interviewees, Chris Smith has not recently passed away! Yet as the first sitting MP who chose to publicly come out, his is a fascinating interview to focus on this LGBT history month. Dr Emma Peplow, our Oral History Project lead, explores his parliamentary career… Chris Smith, Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury 1983-2005, … Continue reading Voices from the Oral History Project – Chris Smith

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20th century history, Women and Parliament

The First Woman Cabinet Minister: Margaret Bondfield, 1873- 1953

In this new blog for our ‘Women and Parliament’ series, Dr Paula Bartley gives an overview of the political career of the first woman Cabinet Minister, Margaret Bondfield, who was appointed as such 90 years ago today. This blog is inspired by Paula’s research from her newly published book, Labour Women in Power, which examines the lives of Margaret Bondfield, Ellen Wilkinson, Barbara Castle, Judith … Continue reading The First Woman Cabinet Minister: Margaret Bondfield, 1873- 1953

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20th century history, Conferences/seminars

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

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20th century history, Post-1945 history, Women and Parliament

‘I am a political animal, but I am not a politician’: Leah Manning as a sponsored parliamentary candidate in the 1930s.

Next up in the Women and Parliament series we hear from Dr James Parker of the University of Exeter. He explores the sponsorship of Leah Manning’s candidature by the National Union of Teachers… Leah Manning (1886-1977) was the thirteenth woman to be elected as a Labour Member of Parliament, representing Islington East in the House of Commons from February to October 1931 and later serving … Continue reading ‘I am a political animal, but I am not a politician’: Leah Manning as a sponsored parliamentary candidate in the 1930s.

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20th century history, Social history, Women and Parliament

Ellen Wilkinson’s search for social justice in 1936

As #WomensHistoryMonth draws to a close we hear from guest blogger Laura Beers, Associate Professor of History at American University, about the subject of her latest book, Ellen Wilkinson. In this piece Laura discusses a significant year in Ellen’s career, 1936, as an example of her quest for social justice… In 1940, when Ellen Wilkinson was appointed as parliamentary secretary to the minister of pensions, … Continue reading Ellen Wilkinson’s search for social justice in 1936

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20th century history, Events, History of Parliament Trust

A Fighting Life: Commemorating Josiah C. Wedgwood, founder of the History of Parliament project

Today we hear from our Public Engagement Officer, Sammy Sturgess about our recent event in Westminster to launch our activities to commemorate the life of the founder of the History of Parliament project and lifelong crusader for democracy, Col. Josiah C. Wedgwood MP…  On 12 June in Parliament, amid the Commons voting on the Lords’ amendments to the Brexit bill, the History of Parliament Trust … Continue reading A Fighting Life: Commemorating Josiah C. Wedgwood, founder of the History of Parliament project

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19th Century history, Conferences/seminars

Parliaments, Politics and People Seminar: The struggle for political representation: Labour candidates and the Liberal Party, 1868-1888

The latest paper in our ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar series was given by Dr James Owen, of the Victorian Commons. James’ book, titled Labour and the Caucus, has just been published by Liverpool University Press. Here he gives us an overview of his paper, ‘The struggle for political representation: Labour candidates and the Liberal Party, 1868-88’… The focus of my paper for the ‘Parliaments, … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People Seminar: The struggle for political representation: Labour candidates and the Liberal Party, 1868-1888

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