by Ramzy Baroud
Latest editorial
Tory splits, from the Corn Laws to Brexit
William Rees-Mogg thinks the Conservatives may be heading for their biggest bust-up since 1847 – KEITH FLETT assesses
US-based labour and social movements authors and organisers Robert Ovetz and James Tracy interview DANIEL GROSS about his new book, Unions of Our Own: Eight Building Blocks to Change Work and the World
Innovation in biotechnology is changing how we conceive of meat, say ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT of SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
JOHN CALLOW introduces the work of Geoffrey Trease, who placed ordinary people at the centre of his historical fiction for children, creating adventurous stories to inspire the possibilities of social change
Is the Scottish government in favour of drilling or not? Evasiveness and incoherence are the order of the day, argues KENNY MacASKILL
The Isle of Wight’s Victorian holiday boom drew visitors from across Europe, including the founders of scientific socialism, writes KEITH FLETT
WITH the Brexit crisis rumbling on and the Tory Party divided between pro-Brexit and pro-Remain MPs, it’s possible that the party faces its biggest split since 1847.
Robert Peel was elected in 1841 with the backing of landowners who did not want the Corn Laws repealed (a tax on imported wheat that kept domestic bread prices high, likewise profits for farmers) but did in fact repeal them in 1846 with the backing of the Anti-Corn Law League.
The working class, primarily the Chartists, were only marginally concerned in terms of the organisation of the League pushing instead, in due course successfully, for a Ten Hours Act to reduce the length of the working day — a measure they correctly judged would have more impact on workers’ lives.
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