Secondly, Jones identifies the need to establish what we would call a ‘life/work balance’. Speaking to his C19th audience, Jones put it like this:

“Does a man know what he wants when he is sinking with overwork, that the wealthy may enjoy their sumptuous indolence? He’ll tell you he wants some hours of rest; but then they say that’s idleness and crime! It’s the gaol that he wants!”

Speaking today, I think Jones would reflect on the fact that this country has the longest working-hours in Western Europe and would ask what good are the benefits of a ‘flexible labour-market’ and globalisation if they continually result in longer hours for diminishing levels of pay?

Thirdly, Jones raises the question of whether Parliament is to be anything more than a rich man’s club. One of the arguments used by opponents of the Charter was that it would be unfair if a poor man’s vote was to be equal to a rich man’s. Jones responds to this argument:

“What? are pounds sterling or living souls to be represented in our house of Parliament? What? are the interests of a man possessing a million pounds to be cared for a million times more? This – this is what their argument involves. This, then, is their philanthropy! Out upon them! they have but legislated for their money-bags – we will legislate for our fellow-men. The interests they tried to promote, was the interest of their vested capital, - the interests we will further, shall be those of humanity all over the world.”

But waved the wind on Blackstone height

A standard of the broad sunlight

And sung, that morn, with trumpet might,

A sounding song of Liberty.

The men, who give, -- not those, who take;

The hands, that bless, -- yet hearts that break;

These toilers for their foemen’s sake;

Our England’s true nobility!

Though hunger stamped each forehead spare,

And eyes were dim with factory glare,

Loud swelled the nation’s battle prayer,

Of – death to class monopoly!

And up to Heaven the descant ran,

With no cold roof ‘twixt God and man,

To dash back from its frowning span,

A church prayer’s listless blasphemy.