the labour party Flashcards
what was formed in 1900
labour representation committee (LRC)
what was formed in 1903
lib-lab pact
what was the lib-lab pact 1903
agreement between LRC and liberal party that their constituency candidates wouldn’t stand against each other in parliamentary elections
what formed in 1906
labour party
principal organisations of labour party
- trade unions
- social democratic federation (SDF) –> wanted class war against ruling establishment, led by h.m. hyndman
- socialist league –> similar to SDF
- fabian’s –> spread socialism through propaganda & education
- independent labour party –> influenced by christian values
- co-operative societies –> formed in 19th century to run shops & stores as non-profit-making ventures providing workers with food at affordable prices, dividends shared among customers
most significant group which made up labour party
trade unions - provided bulk of funds & members
what enabled the labour party to form in 1906
formal resolution of TUC in 1899, to work for organisation of a specifically workers’ parliamentary party
describe the TUC
- trade unions congress
- body created in 1868 to represent unions collectively
how many unions had affiliated to LRC in 1903
127
how many MPs did labour have in 1910 compared to 1906
1906 = 30
1910 = 42
pre-1914 labour party
- increase in trade unions affiliating = increase in funds & members
how did labour benefit from the political situation in 1910 election results
- liberals no longer had majority
- required irish nationalist & labour support
what did labour suffer from in 1910
hung parliament (no majority) - liberals not dependent on their support as irish nationalists outnumbered them
weaknesses of labour party
- no clear aim
- marxist members angry at willingness to support liberals & reluctance to spot revolutionary stance
- moderate members found talk of revolution unrealistic
- trade unionists exasperated by revolutionary socialists in party who had little experience of real work
divide with labour party
gap between workers & intellectuals and dispute between moderate centre & revolutionary left
labours record prior 1914
- achieved little
- membership grown but largely result of trade union affiliation not due to popularity
- played little part in industrial disputes 1911-14
- felt hamstrung by osborne judgement
- didn’t intervene in conflicts between workers & bosses = significant number of trade unions felt it would be better to fight for rights by direct action not parliamentary representation
osborne judgement 1909
-1909 appeal court ruling which made it illegal for trade unions to use funds to support a political party or pay MPs/candidates
- indicated anti-worker bias
- act introduced in 1913 which reversed it –> labour party could receive funds from unions but individual union embers could contract out from paying political levy
what made it possible for the labour party to displace to liberals as the major radical force in britain
the war
