Margaret's legacy

It is hard to believe that a woman who achieved so many firsts throughout her life became almost unheard of in later decades.

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Because Margaret based her actions in government on economic facts rather than on party interests; she became ‘caught between the opposition claims that she was soft on the unemployed, and her own backbenchers' jibe that she had abandoned the workers’.

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Some of her later attitudes and criticisms of the Government reduced her standing in her own party for decades.

When Barbara Castle was appointed Minister of Labour by Harold Wilson in 1968, she insisted that the ministry's name be changed to 'Department of Employment', for fear of association with Margaret's term in office. Castle refused to contribute a preface to a Fabian Society booklet celebrating Margaret's life, because she considered her predecessor's actions close to political betrayal.

In 2001, a speech by Tony Blair celebrating the Labour Party's 100 years in parliament paid tributes to many heroes of the movement's early years; Margaret's name was not mentioned.

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Today we should be proud of Margaret and acknowledge her amazing achievements at a time when women were not usually in positions of power and where women in politics were rare.

A Lady from Chard, ahead of her time.

Many thanks to Chantel Hallet for pulling together the many resources available in the Museum's archives and creating this presentation; and to Gwyneth Jackson, our Display's CoOrdinator whose knowledge and passion for Margaret Bondfield supported the process of preparing the story of her achievements.