The chartist uprising of 1839 was an important part of Welsh history and the history of people and politics in this country. It wasn't just suffragettes who had to fight for the right to vote. The Newport chartists wanted everyman of the age of 21 and over to be allowed to vote - not just the wealthy. Because of property restrictions on eligibility to vote, the poverty stricken did not have that right - and therefore were alienated from a system which largely ignored them and their needs.
Tonight at 9pm on BBC 2 Wales, the actor Michael Sheen presents a programme on the Newport Rising. It will be available on iPlayer for those in other regions.
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