Why Peterloo?

Our commitment to the idea that greater representation is essential to political progress stems from many places. However, the most central is the enduring spirit of this city, whose long history is a symbol of the political potential when people make their voice heard. Nowhere was this more clear than in the inspiration for our name:

The Peterloo Massacre.  

 In the early 1800s, with an electorate constituting less than 3% of the population, Britain was unrepresentative and undemocratic. Whilst places like Dunwich in Suffolk, with a population of 32, continued to send two MPs to Westminster, Northern cities including Manchester did not have a single MP.

Badly affected by chronic economic depression, famine and unemployment, there was an increasing desire, particularly within the North, for political reform. A peaceful pro-democracy protest was held in Manchester. Tens of thousands of people from surrounding towns and villages marched to St Peter’s Field, now the site of the Central Library, to demand political representation.

In response, local magistrates sent in armed troops to arrest the leading protestors and disperse the gathering. They charged into the crowd with sabres drawn: several people were killed, and hundreds injured. After the massacre, the government passed a series of repressive measures. 

Despite this tragedy and the setbacks at the time, the fight for greater representation  the Peterloo Massacre was a significant event in influencing the extension of the right to vote and helped to create our modern democracy. 

Our naming is in homage to this critical Mancunian event. Whilst students today have the right to vote and much more, we want to encourage even greater student participation in politics and establish an influential platform for encouraging progressive change through innovative and engaging policy.

Here are some of the places you can visit in Manchester which are linked to the Peterloo Massacre: