Tag: Voting

Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Elections, Local History, Victorian

Local polls and national politics: a 19th century perspective

As much of the UK prepares to vote in local elections this week, in this blog (adapted from our Victorian Commons site), Dr Philip Salmon discusses the origins of 19th century council elections and how they quickly became guides to national polls. As barometers of political opinion, local elections have long had a special place in British politics, offering useful (though not necessarily accurate) guides … Continue reading Local polls and national politics: a 19th century perspective

Philip SalmonLeave a comment
Georgian Lords, 17th Century history, 18th Century history, Georgian, Parliamentary Life, Stuart

‘As in your wisdom you shall think meet’: Remote working in Parliament in the early modern period

In this special collaborative blog, members of the History of Parliament’s two House of Lords sections, Dr Andrew Thrush, editor of the Elizabethan Lords, and Dr Stuart Handley, senior research fellow for the Lords 1715-90, consider ways in which the upper House established ways of remote working in the days before Zoom… Contrary to what one might suppose, ‘remote working’ is nothing new in parliamentary … Continue reading ‘As in your wisdom you shall think meet’: Remote working in Parliament in the early modern period

Andrew ThrushLeave a comment
Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Electoral Reform, Social history, Victorian

Parliament versus the People: the Newport rising of 1839

Today marks the 180th anniversary of the Newport rising when government forces and Welsh Chartists clashed in the town of Newport. Here’s Dr Philip Salmon, editor of our House of Commons 1832-68 project, with more… The Newport rising ranks alongside the Peterloo massacre as an iconic episode in the struggle for popular political rights in pre-democratic Britain. In November 1839 around 10,000 disaffected and poorly … Continue reading Parliament versus the People: the Newport rising of 1839

Philip Salmon1 Comment
17th Century history, Elections, Interregnum, Oliver Cromwell, Scottish History

Voting and not voting in Cromwellian Scotland

Today, on St Andrew’s Day we have a Scotland themed blog from Dr Patrick Little of the House of Commons 1640-1660 Section as part of our Patron Saints series. He discusses voting in Cromwellian Scotland… Nowadays the Scots have the reputation for being enthusiastic voters. Recent General Elections have seen more than two-thirds of the electorate casting their ballots (71% in 2015, 67% in 2017) … Continue reading Voting and not voting in Cromwellian Scotland

Patrick LittleLeave a comment
Stuart, 17th Century history, Parliamentary Life

Confusion in the commons – voting in 17th Century parliaments

Today, parliamentarians are often accused of shouting and ‘braying’ during debates. In this, little has changed since the 17th century, as Philip Baker tells us… James I held a low opinion of the House of Commons, asserting in 1614 that it ‘voted without order, nothing being heard but cries, shouts and confusion’. Certainly, the procedure, still in use today, by which the relative volume of … Continue reading Confusion in the commons – voting in 17th Century parliaments

History of Parliament2 Comments