In the present day its often to be heard from a certain kind of Labour politician and sections of the media that issues beyond the shores of Britain are nothing to do with the traditions of the labour movement.
Yet Britain’s extensive imperial history suggests otherwise. While there are issues about how E P Thompson deals with the subject in the Making its certainly not absent. The brief extract below references Luddite activity with evidence from the most notorious of Government spies around the period of Peterloo, Oliver.
Just one of the issues to be reviewed at the Roundtable discussion on the 60th anniversary of the book
When Oliver (spy KF) tramped with the Leeds cropper James Mann, and another revolutionary, to the rendezvous at Thornhill Lees (in 1817) he found, from their discourse, ‘that the recent news from the Brazils seemed to cheer them with greater hopes than ever’ (ref: Home Office papers)
Monday 20th November 5.30pm. Free on Zoom but Registration is essential
Register here
https://www.history.ac.uk/events/making-english-working-class-60-roundtable-discussion
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