looks British. if so, you have the can improperly installed. Refill the can with easy to light powder and hook it up to the ignition switch with a spark plug. You can thank me later.
I owned, with a partner, an Austin Healy (yes, really) that we used for a fishing car until the wire wheels got so loose that you could give it a sideways shove and watch the wheels hubs move while the tire remained where it was. Took the battery out and sent it to the junk yard. We got it from a fellow that was 'gonna restore it' before the divorce came up. Think we paid $25 smackers for it, and it was too much.

British alright those SU carburetors tell it all. Owned several MGTD's, MGA, Healy Sprite all with SU's. Spent hours synchronizing them

Rick

glutton,   sorry about the spelling

See, the overall recollection of the former owners was of horrific efforts to keep a marginally useful (and impossible to get parts for) car. 
I know now that the safest place to store gunpowder would be under the hood of a British vehicle. The Lucas coil, or switch would fail to produce enough of a spark to ignite the touchiest can of Bullseye.

Easy to fix all the gremlins the British cars have. Just tear all the wiring out, and put in a whole new harness. Then tear all the drivetrain out and put USA made drivetrain in. Problem solved.
My old British Austin was all original when I bought it in 2010, and the 20 HP flathead four and all the Lucas electrical went bye bye.
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)