David Torrance: The Edge of Revolution: The General Strike that Shook Britain

On Tuesday 4 May 1926, two million workers downed tools in the only nationwide strike ever held in Britain. The General Strike had begun, and the country braced itself for what many believed was a moment akin to the Russian Revolution, which had shaken the world only a decade earlier. Industry was deprived of gas and electricity; the buses, trains and trams all stopped; newspapers ceased publication; and workers abandoned mines and iron, steel and chemical works around the country.

The General Strike has entered our national mythology. Even though it lasted only nine days, it left a legacy of bitterness that has had a profound impact on politics.