7th June 1832: The Great Reform Act becomes law, significantly changing the electoral system of the UK

Officially known as the Representation of the People Act 1832, the Great Reform Act was introduced to improve the outdated and unrepresentative electoral system in England and Wales by eliminating rotten boroughs, creating new constituencies to represent industrial towns, and standardising voting qualifications.

28th March 1979: British Prime Minister James Callaghan loses a vote of no confidence by a single vote

By early 1979 Callaghan’s government had lost its majority in the House of Commons and, with the government weakened, the Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher, tabled a motion of no confidence.

27th February 1900: Labour Representation Committee founded, marking the start of what would later become the British Labour Party

The Labour Representation Committee aimed to secure parliamentary representation for labour candidates, funded by trade unions. Ramsay MacDonald was appointed secretary, and six years later it adopted the name Labour Party.

28th December 1918: Constance Markievicz becomes the first woman to be elected to the Parliament of the UK

Markievicz stood as a Sinn Féin candidate and secured over 63% of the vote in the constituency of Dublin St Patrick’s, but refused to take the oath of allegiance to the British crown and consequently did not take her seat in the House of Commons.

23rd October 1642: Battle of Edgehill fought during the early stages of the English Civil War

The battle of Edgehill was fought in Warwickshire between the Royalist forces of King Charles I and the Parliamentarian army under the command of the Duke of Essex, but it ended inconclusively at nightfall with heavy casualties on both sides.