Labour in the City: The Development of the Labour Party in Manchester 1918-31

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Manchester University Press, 2006 - History - 222 pages
In 1918 the Labour party began to build for power by embarking on a plan of reorganisation aimed at creating a national network of local branches through which it would recruit, engage and mobilise a 'mass membership'.

This study assesses how that ambitious project played out in Manchester, a 'model' industrial city between 1918 and 1931. It concludes that despite significant electoral progress the goal of building a mass membership party organisation was largely frustrated by the unwillingness of more than a small minority of the public to embrace political activism.

The study offers important evidence about Labour's growth in the immediate post-1918 period and provides useful insights into the nature of political activism and engagement which have a contemporary resonance.

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About the author (2006)

Declan McHugh is Director of the Parliament and Government Programme at the Hansard Society.