Overview

'A riot is at bottom the language of the unheard.' Martin Luther King Riot! covers, with a reporter's eye, almost 200 years of civil disturbance on mainland Britain, and gives a voice to some of the remarkable men and women involved. Ian Hernon shows that resistance played a part, not always beneficially, in the creation of proper parliamentary democracy, the welfare state, the trade union movement, the rights of immigrants and civil liberties. All of these, it can be argued, are under renewed attack today. Hernon tells the story of a largely unacknowledged tradition of violent protest in Britain, from the martyrs of Peterloo to the drug-fuelled street violence of today. Riot! charts how the struggles of individual groups of workers turned into a broader campaign for electoral reform and justice; how excessive use of state force failed to extinguish the fires; how the trade unions pressed for wider social justice; how Thatcherism reversed decades of gradual reform and sparked social turmoil; and how a ""good"" riot played a part in her downfall. Finishing with an account of the anti-globalisation movement and G8 protests, this lively book shows how the ugly roar of a mob has perhaps done more to change society than measured parliamentary debate.

Full Product Details

9780745325385

Table of Contents

Reviews

The latest outstanding oeuvre from the prolific pen of Liverpool Echo political correspondent Ian Hernon. -- The Guardian A beautifully written and graphic account of civil insurrection in this country from Peterloo to the present day. ... Splended book - a very fine read. -- The House Magazine His account of the build up to Peterloo and the aftermath is stirring stuff...written with the pace and detail you would expect from an experienced journalist. -- Sarah Williams, BBC History This fascinating history of riots includes the reform riots of 1831, the violence of the Chartists and the Suffragettes, the lawlessness that occurred during the bizarre police strike of 1919. It ends with the Stop the War march in London in February 2003, Britain's biggest ever demonstration and, in Hernon's view, one of the most futile protests of modern times. -- Ian Pindar, The Guardian ...this is a well-written, thought provoking and sometimes moving account of rioting and social disturbance. -- Alex Louton, Morning Star Online Long serving Lobby correspondent Ian Hernon has published a timely reminder that there is nothing new in rioting as a catalyst for political and social change. Here are the great battles which, for better or worse, helped to create our form of Parliamentary democracy and which changed the face of Britain. -- Gallery News, House of Commons Hernon's book is a useful primer on the civil insurrections which helped Britain lumber towards equitable political representations. He has picked out key and often overlooked episodes in working class history. -- Tribune I have no hesitation in recommending this proposal for publication. It is of high quality as a popular account of Britain's 'radical history'. He writes with force, pace and some elegance. -- John Charlton, author of The Chartists This is an interesting idea with potential to appeal to a broad range of readers ... I think the chapters are written in a racy style with enough general interest to find a popular readership. -- Clive Bloom, Professor of English and American Studies and Chair of Humanities, Middlesex University

'A riot is at bottom the language of the unheard.' Martin Luther King

'The latest outstanding oeuvre from the prolific pen of Liverpool Echo political correspondent Ian Hernon' -- The Guardian 'A beautifully written and graphic account of civil insurrection in this country from Peterloo to the present day - a very fine read' -- The House Magazine 'His account of the build up to Peterloo and the aftermath is stirring stuff ... written with the pace and detail you would expect from an experienced journalist.' -- Sarah Williams, BBC History 'This fascinating history of riots includes the reform riots of 1831, the violence of the Chartists and the Suffragettes, the lawlessness that occurred during the bizarre police strike of 1919. It ends with the Stop the War march in London in February 2003, Britain's biggest ever demonstration and, in Hernon's view, one of the most futile protests of modern times' -- Ian Pindar, The Guardian 'A well-written, thought provoking and sometimes moving account of rioting and social disturbance' -- Alex Louton, Morning Star Online 'A timely reminder that there is nothing new in rioting as a catalyst for political and social change. Here are the great battles which, for better or worse, helped to create our form of Parliamentary democracy and which changed the face of Britain' -- Gallery News, House of Commons 'A useful primer on the civil insurrections which helped Britain lumber towards equitable political representations. He has picked out key and often overlooked episodes in working class history' -- Tribune

Author Information

Ian Hernon is a journalist and Westminster lobby correspondent. He is the author of Assassin!: 200 Years of British Political Murder (Pluto, 2007) and Riot!: Civil Insurrection From Peterloo to the Present Day (Pluto, 2006). He reports for the Sunday Times and Daily Express, Glasgow Evening Times, and many other newspapers. Ian's previous books on 19th Century British history include Britain's Forgotten Wars (Sutton, 2003).

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