PHM is the national museum of democracy, telling the story of its development in Britain: past, present, and future.
On this blog we share posts from the PHM team and other experts, with behind the scenes stories, coverage of PHM's exhibitions and events, and highlights from the museum's unique collection.
On 5 July 2023, the National Health Service (NHS) celebrated its 75th birthday. Launched by Minister of Health Aneurin Bevan in 1948, the NHS aimed to bring free and reliable healthcare to all. The establishment of the NHS as a universal healthcare system was a key moment in health equality and in socialist policy. However, it is not without its difficulties.
Sarah Thompson-Cook is a Mental Health Nurse and Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing at Manchester Metropolitan University. In this blog, she explores the history of mental health services in the NHS, and the ongoing crisis recognised by organisations such as the Socialist Health Association.
Mark Ashton was an activist and campaigner in the 1980s, perhaps most known for co-founding Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners during the miners’ strike of 1984-85. He was a member the Communist Party of Great Britain and joined Red Wedge, a collective of musicians aiming to engage young people with the Labour movement. Mark died of AIDS related illness in 1987. The Mark Ashton Trust was set up by a group of friends to respond to the ongoing crisis.
Ambulance workers go on strike tomorrow. Over 30 years ago, another ambulance strike received widespread support. In this blog, former NHS ambulance worker Clare Winter shares her memories of the 1989-90 ambulance workers’ dispute.
In this blog PHM’s Researcher Dr Shirin Hirsch writes about the MP Saklatvala, the Labour Party’s first MP of colour. From his early life and membership of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB), to his fight for national and colonial issues in parliament.
In this blog, PHM’s Collections Assistants Shivaya Prasad and Kayleigh Crawford are sharing some poster highlights as part of Black History Month 2022. These posters cover apartheid boycotts, solidarity with Angela Davis during her unjust trial, and a day of action protesting the government response to the New Cross Massacre.
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