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Matthew Cole

Teaching Fellow, Department of History, University of Birmingham

I am an historian of modern Britain with a particular interest in twentieth century constitutional and party politics, and local history.

As a Morrell Scholar at the University of York between 1984 and 1987 I examined the relationship between the work of John Stuart Mill and the arguments used to support campaigns to widen the franchise in nineteenth and twentieth-century Britain.

I was awarded a Research Associateship of the Open University between 1998 and 2001 to examine the determinants of British parties’ attitudes to constitutional reform, and was awarded the PSA’s David Butler Prize in 1998 for research on policy towards electoral reform.

Between 2007 and 2011 the Scurrah Wainwright Trust funded my research into the history of the Liberal Party in the twentieth century, particularly to produce a biography of Richard Wainwright, former MP for the Colne Valley.

My current research continues to focus on recent Liberal Party and Liberal Democrat history, and is also in the field of Birmingham social and cultural history.

In 2014 I was awarded a grant by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd to undertake 'Liberalism in Power', a study of the impact upon their image and fortunes of Liberal Democrat MPs at the 2015 general election of their party's participation in government.

Boris Johnson: what first 24 hours reveal about new prime minister's prospects

Jul 26, 2019 09:02 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

It seems that more has been said about the Boris Johnson premiership in 24 hours than was said about his predecessor, Theresa May, during her whole three years in Number 10. Certainly, the new prime minister is intent on...

Brexit breakthrough? May and Corbyn will meet to find a compromise

Apr 03, 2019 10:29 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

There is some good news about Brexit. The magic eye picture of Britains policy is beginning to emerge from the random pixels of the referendum campaigns promises and threats to a shadowy image of compromise. But there are...

How Brexit brought Britain's constitution to the brink

Apr 01, 2019 17:26 pm UTC| Insights & Views

It would be amusing but unhealthy at the moment to host a drinking game based on the use of the phrase constitutional crisis. The term has been uttered 155 times in parliament since the EU referendum (38 times in 2019 and...

Why an oath to 'British values' just isn't British

Jan 08, 2017 02:34 am UTC| Insights & Views Life Politics

According to three-time British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin: An Englishman is all right, as long as he is content to be what God made him an Englishman. Three generations later, another Worcestershire Tory Cabinet...

Economy

Japan's Business Confidence Rises Despite Iran War Uncertainty, BOJ Rate Hike Expected

Japans large manufacturers reported improved business sentiment in the three months to March, according to the Bank of Japans closely watched Tankan survey released Wednesday. The headline index for big manufacturers...

South Korea Manufacturing PMI Hits 4-Year High in March 2025 Driven by Semiconductor Demand

South Koreas manufacturing sector delivered a standout performance in March, with factory activity accelerating to its strongest level in over four years. Data from SP Globals Purchasing Managers Index showed a reading of...

Gold Prices Rebound But Head for Worst Month Since 2008 Amid Iran War Uncertainty

Gold prices climbed on Tuesday as investors returned to safe-haven assets during a brief equity market rally, though the precious metal remained on course for its steepest monthly decline in nearly 17 and a half years....

Oil Prices Climb as Middle East Conflict Keeps Supply Risks Elevated

Oil prices edged higher in early Wednesday trading as ongoing Middle East instability continued to rattle energy markets, even as diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Iran showed tentative signs of progress. Brent crude...

South Korea's Exports Hit Record High in March on AI-Driven Chip Demand

South Koreas exports surged to an all-time high in March, beating analyst forecasts and recording their fastest annual growth in nearly four decades. Driven by booming global demand for semiconductors tied to artificial...

Politics

U.S. Senator Pushes to Permanently Block Chinese Automakers from American Market

Republican Senator Bernie Moreno announced plans to introduce legislation next month that would permanently and comprehensively ban Chinese automakers from the U.S. automotive market. The proposed bill would expand on an...

Trump Threatens Federal Intervention in Los Angeles Ahead of 2026 World Cup

President Donald Trump signaled on Tuesday that the federal government is prepared to assert authority over Los Angeles when the city hosts matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing concerns over public safety and...

Syria Vows Neutrality Amid U.S.-Israeli Conflict With Iran

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa reaffirmed on Tuesday that Syria intends to remain neutral in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military conflict against Iran, unless the country itself becomes a direct target with no remaining...

Rubio Directs U.S. Diplomats to Use X and Military Psyops to Counter Foreign Propaganda

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed American diplomats to leverage social media platform X and collaborate with Pentagon psychological operations units as part of a broader strategy to combat foreign...

Trump Signals U.S. Military Exit From Iran Within Weeks After Declaring Nuclear Mission Accomplished

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that U.S. military forces are expected to withdraw from Iran within two to three weeks, declaring that the mission to neutralize the countrys nuclear threat has been successfully...

Science

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Technology

Apple Turns 50: From Garage Startup to AI Crossroads

In early 1976, engineer Steve Wozniak finished designing a computer circuit board he planned to share with fellow hobbyists at a local California tech club. His friend Steve Jobs recognized a commercial opportunity, and...

Microsoft Eyes $7B Texas Energy Deal to Power AI Data Centers

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) is reportedly in exclusive negotiations with Chevron Corp (NYSE: CVX) and investment firm Engine No. 1 to develop a massive energy complex in West Texas dedicated to powering its...

California's AI Executive Order Pushes Responsible Tech Use in State Contracts

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a landmark executive order Monday, setting new standards for artificial intelligence governance in state contracting. The directive requires companies seeking government contracts to...

Cybersecurity Stocks Tumble After Anthropic's Claude Mythos AI Leak Sparks Market Fears

Major cybersecurity stocks took a sharp hit Friday following reports that Anthropic accidentally exposed details about its next-generation AI model before its official launch. CrowdStrike fell 7%, Palo Alto Networks...

Chinese Universities with PLA Ties Found Purchasing Restricted U.S. AI Chips Through Super Micro Servers

Procurement records reveal that four Chinese universities, two of which have direct ties to the Peoples Liberation Army, acquired Super Micro Computer servers loaded with restricted Nvidia AI chips over the past year. The...