Birch, Reginald (Reg) (1914-1994), Trade union leader Communist Maoist

The Dictionary of Labour Biography has an outstanding reputation as a reference work for the study of nineteenth and twentieth century British history. Volume XIII maintains this standard of original and thorough scholarship. Each entry is written by a specialist drawing on an array of primary and secondary sources. The biographical essays engage with recent historiographical developments in the field of labour history. The scope of the volume emphasises the ethnic and national diversity of the British labour movement, the contribution of women and of neglected political traditions. A number of entries highlight the complex interactions of progressive movements within the British Empire. The volume continues the coverage of Labour MPs who sided with Ramsay MacDonald in 1931 and railway trade unionists.