'Fight for the soul of Labour and the salvation of the miners': The General Strike of 1926

Join us at the Birchcliffe Centre to learn about the General Strike of 1926 on its 100th anniversary. Our lecture is presented by Professor Keith Laybourn (York St John University), an expert in the history of the labour movement and author of over 150 books and articles on British labour history. As Keith explains:

The General Strike of 1926, which lasted from a minute to midnight on 3 May to 12.20 pm on 12 May 1926, was the most important industrial conflict in British history. It saw almost one and three quarter million workers come out of work in support of more than 800,000 working miners, who had been locked out for rejecting wage reductions, the end of national negotiations and a worsening of working conditions. However, the ensuing conflict between the Government and the Trades Union Congress, for control of the foods and transport, was an uneven contest which the trade unions could not, and indeed, did not wish to win. The unconditional surrender of the TUC exerted an impact on British and labour politics was pervasive even and a General Strike has never since been tried since.

Come along to find out more!