The Politics of 1974

The Local Government reorganisation of 1974 swept away local autonomy. In doing so, it made possible the present Dictatorship of Global Finance. Up to that point local government in the UK had been evolved by the people and for the people, and was a powerful force to contend with. Municipal socialism, as it can be termed, served the people well. Thereafter came the domination of the paymasters over policy formation across the political, cultural and economic spheres of the social commonwealth.

In the following series of blogs we will explore the impact that the changes in national legislation had upon local communities, local economies and the lives, lands and liberties of local citizens. Our starting point is Keighley, not just because I live here but because there is to hand some particularly interesting historical material. For example, opposition to national mandatory vaccinations in Keighley can be traced as far back as 1875. Local historian Ian Dewhirst tells the story:

"The Vaccination Acts of 1867 and 1871 had made the Board of Guardians responsible for enforcing the vaccination of the children within their Union — no easy burden, in the face of national opposition to what was still a controversial measure. In fact, the Guardians — in tune with the mood of the town — tacitly refused to prosecute the Acts. A Keighley smallpox epidemic in 1875 underlined the dangers of the situation, but also provided antivaccinationist [sic] propaganda insofar as both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated died. A long legal battle failed to budge the Guardians, until in August, 1876, the seven most obdurate among them were arrested, amid scenes of near-riot, as shouting crowds unhitched the horses from the omnibus taking them to the station, and dragged omnibus, Guardians and High Sheriff's officers round the streets. The occasion was celebrated locally with a brisk sale in carte-de-visite portraits of the prisoners, together with sundry broadsheets of verse:

"'At the pale little Sheriff one couldn't but smile,

As dumbfounded he sat like a mouse all the while;

Saying, I've heard tell o' Keighley, but ne'er been before,

And may I be hanged if I come any more.'

"The Guardians spent the better part of a month in the Debtors' Prison at York (the broadsheets more poetically said Clifford's Tower), where they ignored the rules, were feted by the National Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League, showered with grapes, books and money from sympathisers, and finally released on bail at the fervent request of the harrassed Governor. When, that November, the case of The Queen versus the Guardians of the Keighley Union came up at the High Court of Justice in London, the Vaccination Acts were at last applied: the obstinate seven returned home to tender their resignations and to receive a vote of thanks, endorsing a substantial public opinion, "for the manner in which they have resisted the carrying out of compulsory vaccination in Keighley." (Extract from Ian Dewhirst (1974) A History of Keighley, Keighley Corporation (p78-70).

Over the intervening decades, right up to the present day, the history of the relationship between national power and the political will of the people has been played out, and makes very interesting reading. The time has come to research, review and discuss the evolution of local government and its fate following the reorganisation of Local Government between 1974. The 'Bradford Revolution' of 1988 heralded the demise of municipal socialism in towns and cities across the land. . What happened in 1974? It certainly was not driven by the will of the people, So - why did it happen?