‘Events, dear boy, events’: intriguing case studies in British political history

Aims 

This course aims to:   

• provide detailed information on each case study  
   
• explain the historical and political context of each incident  
   
• explore the broader issues relating to the unpredictable exigencies of political life 

Content 

You will be informed as to how and why some of the ideal hopes and plans of political life are sometimes undermined, revised or stalled by the intrusion of actual and unexpected events. Detailed case studies each day will include the death of one politician, the arrest of another, the unwanted elevation to the peerage of a sitting MP, the impact of a campaign of civil disobedience on a Prime Minister, and a ‘cash for honours’ scandal on another. These discussions, while working as vivid self-contained stories, will also combine to illustrate how the challenge for any political figure or group involves not just planning policy but also reacting to sudden incidents and issues, and trying to balance principles with pragmatism. 

Presentation of the course  

The course will consist of lectures accompanied by PowerPoint presentations. 

Course sessions 

1. John Wilkes and the election of an outlaw (1769): 
   concerning the attempts by Parliament to remove a dissident MP. 
    
2. The Murder of Spencer Perceval (1812): 
   an account of the death of a Prime Minister and its most significant consequences. 
    
3. Herbert Asquith, feminism and a game of golf (1913): 
   the story of how and why certain women’s suffrage activists targeted the incumbent Prime Minister. 
    
4. Lloyd George's price list for peerages (1921): 
   a discussion of one of the most notorious cases of corruption in British political history. 
    
5. The banning of Tony Benn from the Commons (1960): 
   how the traditional process of the hereditary peerage system challenged an elected MP and led to a change in legislation. 

Learning outcomes 

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course.  

The learning outcomes for this course are: 

• knowledge of certain political events 
   
• a more in-depth understanding of their impact on their particular historical periods 
   
• an appreciation of the complexity of political processes when theory gives way to practice 

Required reading 

There are no compulsory readings for this course. However, you may find the below recommended reading list of interest to supplement your course. 

Typical week: Monday to Friday 

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.   

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events. 

Evaluation and Academic Credit  

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.  

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay. 

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit. 

Certificate of attendance 

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.