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*Migration Histories > Irish > Politics
* Politics 
 
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Letter from Ben Tillett M.P. to Prime Minister Lloyd George calling for recognition of the 'Russian Federal Republic' and its 'National and Peasant Ownership and control of the Land', 1919.
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Letter from Ben Tillett M.P. to Prime Minister Lloyd George calling for recognition of the 'Russian Federal Republic' and its 'National and Peasant Ownership and control of the Land', 1919.
* Moving Here catalogue reference (PRO) PREM 1/5
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Shorthand notes of Ben Tillett's speech at a 'Right to Work' demonstration at Hull, 1908
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Shorthand notes of Ben Tillett's speech at a "Right to Work" demonstration at Hull, 1908
* Moving Here catalogue reference (PRO) HO 45/10388/170408
Tillett became a founding member of the Independent Labour Party, standing for Bradford in 1892, although his disillusion in its leadership is very clear in his 1908 pamphlet, Is the Parliamentary Labour Party a Failure? He joined the Social Democratic Party and in 1910 helped to set up the National Transport Workers' Federation, with 250,000 members, winning a national strike in 1911. The following year, he co-founded the trade union newspaper, the Daily Herald.

Tillett's clashes with authority included:

  • trial for incitement to riot in Bristol in December 1892
  • arrest and expulsion from Belgium in 1896 on suspicion of trying to form an international union of seamen and dockers in Antwerp
  • accusations of incitement to murder the rich at a "Right to Work" demonstration at Hull in 1908
Unlike many in the labour movement, Ben Tillett supported Britain's role in the First World War and in 1917 he was elected as Independent MP for North Salford, then served as Labour MP from 1918 until his retirement in 1931. In 1932, he tried to set up a boxer's union. He died in 1943.

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Creators: Aidan Lawes

 
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