The Desert Parliament

By: Olivia Humphreys

Soldiers during the Second World War were determined they would not return to the same Britain they left. So they set up their own parliament.

Illustration by Joanna Neborsky

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For six months towards the end of the Second World War, Maadi — a large, dusty British Army base on the outskirts of Cairo — was the unlikely setting for one of the most interesting experiments in military democracy this country has seen. Morale was low in Maadi by 1943. Troops had already been there for two […]

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For six months towards the end of the Second World War, Maadi — a large, dusty British Army base on the outskirts of Cairo — was the unlikely setting for one of the most interesting experiments in military democracy this country has seen. Morale was low in Maadi by 1943. Troops had already been there for two […]

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For six months towards the end of the Second World War, Maadi — a large, dusty British Army base on the outskirts of Cairo — was the unlikely setting for one of the most interesting experiments in military democracy this country has seen. Morale was low in Maadi by 1943. Troops had already been there for two […]

For six months towards the end of the Second World War, Maadi — a large, dusty British Army base on the outskirts of Cairo — was the unlikely setting for one of the most interesting experiments in military democracy this country has seen. Morale was low in Maadi by 1943. Troops had already been there for two […]

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