Comrades in Conflict

This is the first in-depth academic study of the Labour Government’s 1969 attempt to introduce industrial relations to curb strikes by trade unions. Using archival sources, this book explains how this attempt provoked strong opposition in the Party, and from the unions, to the extent that it was abandoned in a humiliating climb-down. -- .

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On the 50th anniversary of In Place of Strife, this scholarly study makes extensive use of previously unpublished archival and other primary sources to explain why Harold Wilson and Barbara Castle embarked on legislation to regulate the trade unions and curb strikes, and why this aroused such strong opposition, not just from the unions, but within the Cabinet and among backbench Labour MPs. This opposition transcended the orthodox ideological divisions, making temporary allies of traditional adversaries in the Party. Even Wilson’s threats either to resign, or call a general election, if his MPs and Ministers failed to support him and Castle, were treated with derision. His colleagues called Wilson’s bluff, and forced him to abandon the legislation, in return for a ‘solemn and binding’ pledge by the trade unions to ‘put their own house in order’ in tackling strikes. -- .