Why did Labour rise in popularity?

Question 1

How did the Labour party being a developed grassroots organisation help them to rise in popularity?

Answer 1

Union backing provided funding for the party, they could develop as a national political machine

In 1917 they began to develop local party branches - by 1924 only 19 constituencies did not have a labour branch

Question 2

How did the effective leadership of Arthur Henderson in 1914-1917 help Labour rise in popularity?

Answer 2

He was able to reflect a consensus view of the Labour movement

He was the first Labour leader to gain respect at cabinet level

Question 3

How did the representation of the people act help Labour rise in popularity?

Answer 3

It allowed more working class men to vote and women which could have affected the amount of support for Labour, however the full extent of this is unknown

Question 4

How many seats did the Labour party win in 1918?

Answer 4

57

Question 5

How many seats did the Labour party win in 1922?

Answer 5

142

Question 6

What year did Labour form a minority gov. and how many seats did they win?

Answer 6

Dec 1923

191 seats

Question 7

When Labour formed a minority gov. in December 1923, how many Liberal seats supported them?

Answer 7

158

Question 8

Why did the Conservatives win the 1924 election and not Labour?

Answer 8

The Labour party were tainted with accusations of Soviet sympathies

Question 9

How many seats did Labour win in the 1929 election and did they form the government?

Answer 9

287 - yes they formed a minority gov. which lasted until 1931

Question 10

What was the 1931 General Election like for labour?

Answer 10

They only won 46 votes, losing many of their leading politicians

Question 11

When did the Labour party form?

Answer 11

1900 - it was the youngest major political party at the time

Question 12

Where did the Labour party emerge from?

Answer 12

The Labour Representation Committee of the Trades Union Congress - therefore they were closely tied to trade unions

Question 13

What did Labour being closely tied to trade unions mean for their voters?

Answer 13

The working man had a cause they wanted to vote for

Question 14

When was the law passed, allowing MPs to receive a wage?

Answer 14

1911

Question 15

How did the ROPA act help the labour party?

Answer 15

(1918) tripled the size of the British electorate which included nearly all working men

Question 16

Why was the preservation of party unity a factor in why the Labour party grew?

Answer 16

Because of how they were formed (through the TUC), this gave them a strong following in the working class.

Question 17

When was division within the party healed?

Answer 17

It was healed in 1917 when Labour ministers pulled out of the wartime coalition

Question 18

How did Labour begin to branch away from the Liberals and how did this make them more popular?

Answer 18

They started to promote free trade, internationalism, social reforms and nationalisation.

This was very popular with the working classes.

Question 19

What context could be used in order to show how Labour was not solely responsible for their rise?

Answer 19

Knighthood Scandal
Maurice Debate
Coupon Election

Question 20

What was Labour’s reputation following the 1924 minority govt.?

Answer 20

Economic caution and competence in foreign affairs whilst rebutting the Libs attempts to discredit Labour politicians.