I've been reading up a bit on the 1931 General Election and shaking my head at some of the comparisons with 2019. First up- almost the entirety of the press shrieking about communism and a mock up of MacDonald as Kitchener like something you would see in today's Sun.

The Mirror of all papers terrifying the public that a vote for Labour was a vote for Bolshevik famine. I'm not joking. The caption "Bolshevism run mad" was invented by Philip Snowden who represented- you guessed it- Sensible Labour and who had defected to the national govt.

"Labour has to get real and start being sensible by losing its class politics"- no not Peter Mandelson, but Philip Snowden in 1931

Ah yes, the Daily Mail scare story. This one was about Labour about to destroy your deposits at the Post Office Savings Bank. GDH Cole commented "There was never the smallest foundation for this scare which was one of the most unscrupulous pieces of electioneering ever seen"

Remember Justin Welby making his small contribution to undermining Corbyn? Well here is the Bishop of London publicly announcing do not vote for Labour

In some ways 2019 was sui generis, but as 1931 starkly displays- there is nothing new under the sun. Shrieking, terrifying headlines, fallacious comparisons with communism, Sensible Labour backstabbing, completely made up scare stories- 1931 is up there with 2019.

Citations- The British General Election of 1931- American Political Science Review
What Everyone Wants To Know About Money- GDH Cole et al