The electoral dominance of the established parties should not obscure the strong history of popular politics and populist causes in the UK. This book explores a populist tradition in the UK dating back to the mid-nineteenth century and demonstrates how the appeal of politics outside the established parties has peaked and waned but never disappeared. Andrew Knott delves into populism’s past moments to examine the events, personalities and movements considered populist. He explores both populism’s appearance and absence in our polity over the past two centuries and uncovers why and how it emerges in our otherwise stable democratic system.
