Parish councils, political inclusion, Liberal politics and the question of class: the 1894 elections as a forgotten phase in British democratization

Abstract

The creation of parish councils in 1894 has been somewhat neglected by historians of democratization and social class. This article explores how questions of political inclusion and class became important features of the first parish council elections. The National Liberal Federation and allied pressure groups encouraged electors to see the elections as a battle between working people and the privileged orders. Contrary to what is sometimes suggested, this demonstrates that ‘class politics’ was sometimes an important part of Liberal electoral strategy. Ultimately, the councils brought important changes to local political life, with working men elected to parishes in significant numbers.