Labour united and divided from the 1830s to the present

Spanning a period which stretches from the 19th century to the present day this book takes a novel look at the British labour movement by examining the interaction between trade unions the Labour Party other parties and groups of the Left and the wider working class to highlight the dialectic nature of these relationships marked by consensus and dissention. It shows that although perceived as a source of weakness those inner conflicts have also been a source of creative tension at times generating significant breakthroughs. The book brings together labour historians and political scientists who provide a range of case studies as well as more wide-ranging assessments of recent trends in labour organising. It will therefore be of interest to academics and students of history and politics as well as to practitioners in the British Isles and beyond.