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Fri, 8 December 2023

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Articles tagged with: history
Conference Showdown: The 1963 Conservative Party Conference
Political parties
By Patrick Kidd
Conference Showdown: The 1963 Conservative Party Conference
Things may not be entirely rosy for the Conservatives, but at least this year’s conference won’t be the setting for a leadership contest. Patrick Kidd takes us back to an even more fraught time in the party’s history
Maiden Voyages: Nancy Astor
Parliament
By Patrick Kidd
Maiden Voyages: Nancy Astor
The 100th anniversary of a landmark in parliamentary legislation occurred during recess. On July 31, 1923, royal assent was given to the first Private Member’s Bill that had been introduced by a woman.
We must learn from the past to fight antisemitism today
History
By Baroness Anderson
We must learn from the past to fight antisemitism today
For as long as there has been antisemitism, threats against Jewish people, and dangerous antisemitic conspiracies, there have been people who have bravely fought against them.
Just a dead playwright? Why Parliament should pay attention to Shakespeare
Culture
By James Morris MP and Professor Michael Dobson
Just a dead playwright? Why Parliament should pay attention to Shakespeare
“Why are you asking the Prime Minister about a dead playwright?” That is how one unimpressed constituent put it to James Morris MP, chair of the APPG for Shakespeare, when he stood up at PMQs recently to raise the importance of Shakespeare’s works as a force for freedom in the world.
We must reflect on the legacy of the Windrush pioneers who helped rebuild Britain
Communities
By Blondel Cluff
We must reflect on the legacy of the Windrush pioneers who helped rebuild Britain
The 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush is a chance to reflect on the pioneers who helped rebuild Britain, and explore the impact of ‘toxic’ government policies on the community.
David Lammy Says Windrush Anniversary Will Be “Bittersweet Commemoration”
Communities
David Lammy Says Windrush Anniversary Will Be “Bittersweet Commemoration”
Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMP Empire Windrush to the UK will be a “bittersweet commemoration” for him and the rest of the country.
How a new Parliament building could become a dreadful reality
History
By JS Curl
How a new Parliament building could become a dreadful reality
If the doomsayers are right, and Parliament burns down or is forced to relocate entirely, what comes next? Architectural historian Professor James Stevens Curl explains how the current structure came to be – and explains why he fears the worst in the future.
Meet the parliamentarians with roles in the coronation
Parliament
By Daniel Brittain
Meet the parliamentarians with roles in the coronation
After what appears to have been an internal debate, government whips who are also members of the Royal Household will join the King’s procession in Westminster Abbey, while one cabinet minister has just been given a very significant role in the procession. Daniel Brittain reports
King Charles III’s coronation is an opportunity to unite the country in pursuit of a common purpose
History
By Dean of Westminster
King Charles III’s coronation is an opportunity to unite the country in pursuit of a common purpose
Thanks to my wife’s ardently royalist grandmother, we inherited coronation memorabilia, mugs and souvenir brochures. For years neglected at the bottom of a drawer, suddenly they are being handed round.
The Coronation’s unique appeal will allow us to show how heritage is a force for good
History
By Sir Laurie Magnus
The Coronation’s unique appeal will allow us to show how heritage is a force for good
The Coronation, with its spectacular pageantry and its lineage stretching back over hundreds of years, will demonstrate once again the extraordinary resonance and interest which the British monarchy can command across the world.
What The Coronation Means
History
By Andrew Gimson
What The Coronation Means
Andrew Gimson takes us on a tour of coronations past and reveals how, far from being an affront to democracy, the ceremony will act as an affirmation of it
'A great work': Baroness Bennett reviews 'The Earth Transformed'
Books & culture
By Baroness Bennett
'A great work': Baroness Bennett reviews 'The Earth Transformed'
A study of the impact of a changing climate on world civilisation from the beginning of recorded history to the present day, Peter Frankopan debunks many long-held assumptions
The case for returning the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece has never been stronger
History
By Lord Vaizey
The case for returning the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece has never been stronger
The debate about the Parthenon Sculptures is back in the public eye following the news that negotiations between the Greek government and the British Museum are formally underway.
We must never forget the horrors of the Holocaust
History
By Steven Frank and Olivia Marks-Woldman
We must never forget the horrors of the Holocaust
I sometimes hear the comment that the Holocaust is ancient history, and no longer needs commemorating in the same way these days.
On Holocaust Memorial Day we must learn the lessons of the past and honour the lives lost
History
By Karen Pollock
On Holocaust Memorial Day we must learn the lessons of the past and honour the lives lost
In 1960 Adolph Eichmann, often described as the architect of the Holocaust, was captured by Israeli forces in Argentina where he fled after the war.
Britain has much to learn from historic links to the Caribbean islands
History
By Blondel Cluff
Britain has much to learn from historic links to the Caribbean islands
Islands are pieces of land completely surrounded by water, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Isolated, if you will. Or are they?
Memories of Nazi occupation remain across the Channel Islands
History
By Kristina Moore
Memories of Nazi occupation remain across the Channel Islands
Jersey’s constitutional status – as a self-governing British Crown Dependency – has essentially been unchanged since 1204. The island has, for the most part, enjoyed more than 800 years of autonomy.
Welcome to Thorney Island, a London landmark you may never have known existed
History
By Sophie Church
Welcome to Thorney Island, a London landmark you may never have known existed
Many are surprised to learn that Westminster sits on an ancient island in the Thames. Sophie Church hears from a Thorney Island Society member about the area’s unique history
Tales from the crypt: The controversies behind the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft
History
By Graham Seel
Tales from the crypt: The controversies behind the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft
The Chapel of St Mary Undercroft might be familiar to those in Parliament, but few know that a row over its status had the potential to cause an incendiary religious split – until a resourceful Speaker defused the situation. Historian Graham Seel tells the full story.
Hidden history: Parliament's secret Second World War munitions factory
History
By Zoe Crowther
Hidden history: Parliament's secret Second World War munitions factory
After the horrors of the Blitz, with much of Parliament in ruins, staff hatched a secret plan: as Zoe Crowther reports, a hidden factory was created in the basements of the Commons to help the war effort.
Secrets of the ballot box: 150 years of voting in private
Political parties
By Lord Lexden
Secrets of the ballot box: 150 years of voting in private
Seldom can a major constitutional reform have aroused so little enthusiasm. No public meetings were held to demand it; no great demonstrations were organised in its support. After much parliamentary dithering and delay, the Ballot Act finally became law in the second half of 1872, exactly 150 years ago.
Historical precedent: How historians influence politics
History
By Andrew Southam
Historical precedent: How historians influence politics
If today’s politics is tomorrow’s history, then perhaps our ministers would be wise to pay more attention to those writing the books, as Andrew Southam reports.
'We are the moles within Parliament': Exploring the enigmatic work of parliamentary agents
History
By Sophie Church
"We are the moles within Parliament": Exploring the enigmatic work of parliamentary agents
Parliamentary agents have been working in Parliament for nearly 200 years, but their role is shrouded in mystery. Sophie Church hears from one parliamentary agent, Richard Bull, about his profession
Why I Set Up Black History Walks
Culture
By Tony Warner
Why I Set Up Black History Walks
I set up Black History Walks to prevent the further erasure of our histories