Why the Putney Debates Still Matter Today
On this day in 1647, the New Model Army gathered in Putney to demand a constitution which enshrined government by consent – centuries later, we can still learn from their radical democratic vision.
5 Articles by:
Tom Banbury
Tom Banbury is a writer and researcher based in Warwickshire. He works on histories of politics, medicine, and the environment.
The Struggle for the Great Reform Act
On 7 June 1832, the first Representation of the People Act passed, laying the foundations for the growth of representative democracy in Britain – it was a partial victory won by centuries of agitation.
How Workers’ Struggles Won our Rights
Since the 1800s, the upward march of the organised labour movement has transformed the world of work – reducing hours, improving conditions and winning new rights for millions of working people.
Britain’s Long Fight Over the Right to Protest
The Police Crackdown Bill is a threat to our right to protest, but that right has been contested for centuries – and from Peterloo to Cable Street, it has often been defended by breaking the law.
The Ancient Roots of Trespass
The Tory government’s plan to make trespass a criminal offence is part of a centuries-old tradition: using the law to protect wealthy landowners at the expense of our right to roam.