Labour Inside the Gate: A History of the British Labour Party between the Wars

by Matthew Worley

The period between the wars was a watershed for the Labour Party as it transformed from a failed alternative to the Conservatives to a majority party of government. After a slow build-up, Labour went on to win a landslide victory that brought in the Attlee government of 1945. "Labour inside the Gate" is the first study dedicated solely to this crucial period in the party's development. In this comprehensive history, Matthew Worley examines the parliamentary Labour Party and the growing network of constituency parties. He explores Labour's shifting and variegated identity at a national and local level, the varied priorities and power bases within Labour's organization, and the evolution of a party policy that would drive the historic Attlee government in office.

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 23, 2005