The Labour Party

Socialism came back into discussion due to:
- Das Capital of Karl Marx being published in english, which gave very socialist ideas over the 'class struggle'
- Economic slumps hit working class hard
- The Great Reforming Act allowed every working class man to vote
- No real party or representation in the commons for the working class

Over the next few years of the late 1880's,three social political groups established for greater working class participation. The SDF or Social Democratic Federation was first to be set up following Marxist principles, promoting a class war and eventual proletariat revolution. The Fabians were a small middle-class intellectual group who wanted socialism through current system, with famous members such as Sidney Webb and George Bernard Shaw. The Socialist League was an offshoot of the SDF, Essentially very similar groups. The ILP was formed due to the SDF open-air meetings to protest about unemployment, which turned into a riot of which 200 were injured. Keir Hardie based the party on three main points
- Radical liberalism
- Trade Unionism
- Nonconformality
Ramsay Macdonald and Ben Tillet also joined.

The Trade Unions kickstarted the creation of the labour party, as they were angered by tough economic climates, and decided that political intereference was needed. At the TUC annual conference, the Railwaymens union put forward a proposal to 'Secure better representation in the commons' with a further conference. The TUC invited the SDF, Fabians and ILP to send candidates. The ILP took the lead and recognised that the TU's were conservative (due to w/c background) and moved the TU's away from the firebrand SDF and blocking the fact that TU MP's if elected should only concentrate on one issue. It was known as the Labour Representation Committee.

The LRC's support differed, and the group did not want to use the word 'Socialist' immediately, as Keir Hardie thought it would scare the TU's. The LRC also collaborated with the Liberals with the Electoral Pact to avoid the split vote (LIB/LRC PACT) due to similar political aims in the 1906 election. The LRC was also boosted in support due to the Taff Vale Judgement, in which striking was severly undermined by allowing employers to sue the trade unions for lost revenue. This put the TU's firmly behind the LRC and some under the liberals. 127 trade unions joined the LRC as a result meaning huge funding for the LRC.

The Labour Party had arguably influenced many upcoming reforms in the commons after 1906. Labour historians suggest that they encouraged/forced liberals to adopt some social reform, whilst Marxist Historians say they abandoned marxist principles. Most Historians say the labour party were too small to directly influence. The Liberals were committed to social reform genuinely through ASQ/LG/WINSCHURCH and the Lib Lab pact meant that both parties would have similar manifesto's. It is difficult to say whether they really influenced, but it can be centred to two of the liberal main reformation.

The trades disputes act of 1906, as it reversed taff vale could be argued to be forced by the labour party. However, the Liberals and Unionists both had started to think of measures to reverse after 1901, and HCB personally went about reversal and offered full immunity through self initiative, although labour offered exactly the same. The provision of meals was another as it was originally a labour MP's private members bill. However, the liberals had been planning a similar reform and so used this policy, it was never really imposed on the liberals.

The Labour Party between 1906-1910 began to show some divisions. The labour party, had been seen by some like ben tillet, to no longer be dedicated to a social programme and publiished ' Is the Parliamentary Labour Party a Failure?' and this was followed by a 'Let us Reform our Labour Party' between the ILP + SDF. Womens suffrage also caused problems more so than any other party, from the general conservatism of the trade unionists.

The 1910 General Election did not favour the labour party, as the osbourne judgement (which declared trade union involvement with political party funding illegal) severly damaged the Labour Party funding and only 40 MP's were elected. Between then and 1914, by-elections saw Labour seats fall by 4. The Liberal party losing their majority and 'New Liberalism' made the labour party natural allies in policy, and losing the majority meant less similar reforms being put into action. Not only that by the Irish National Party held twice the power of the Labour party and could pressure the liberals far more. This next few years of Liberal-INP home rule removed the focus from the labour party.

The next few years saw a rise in Trade Unionism due to rise in the cost of living and successful liberal reforms lead to a fall in unemployment, and so membership rose from 2.5- 4 million. This also however lead to a series of strikes in 1910 in wales, over the miners pay. 1911 with firstly the torypandy riot with army units drafted in, followed by the troika of the Seamens, Railwaymens and Dockers Strike leading to four being shot dead. 1912 saw the minimum wage act for miners after a first national pit strike.

The Labour Party initially seemed threatened by the First World War due to serious divisions of the 'Marxists' who saw it as an imperialist conspiracy, the 'Trade Unionists' who were very patriotic and conservative minded and supported the war. The Party was also divided in pacifist views with Ramsay Macdonald resigning. This could be seen as a threat to the future of the party, but it became its making. This is for certain reasons,
- Ramsay Macdonald, held his views respectfully and resigned with dignity and did not threaten the party
- Labour Party members who opposed, rather than campaigning against the war, campaigned for Peace.
- Arthur Hendersons new leadership, he decided not to banish any opposers to the war.
- Labour party still united in wanting to support the needs of the working class.

The Shell Scandal and Asquith's attitude to the war saw the unionist support dwindle and so Asquith pushed for a coalition government and Henderson joined the cabinet with other labour members joining the government. They represented labour interests, and when Lloyd George formed a war cabinet he became part of it. Henderson eventually resigned from this cabinet over a dispute to which he would attend the socialist convention to discuss peace terms. The labour party emerging from the war as the only unscathed party as the divisions began to heal as Sidney Webb's 'Labour and New Social Order' was created and Ramsay Macdonald returning as joint leader with Arthur Henderson. The Labour Party then resigned from the coalition to fight out the 1918 Coupon Election as a single figure party after the massive gains in experience and a gain in experience. This Labour Party also remained on a united platform of which the liberals were completely split in half.


General election of 1918 gave labour party 59 seats in commons, becoming marginally the largest opposition party to Coalition. Labour had achieved a breakthrough, overtaking remaining non-coalition liberals and conservatives plus sinn-fein. However given over 20 million voted this was seen as disappointing
• Unity of party still affected by pacifist views clash
• LG still had huge support
• Labour linkable to Bolsheviks (socialism)

Labour fortune began to improve, as labour were successful in by-elections and seats rose to 72 and LG resigning in 1922. Bonar Law’s election saw Labour get 142 seats overtaking LG-ASQUITHIAN liberals who were divided but came together for this election. Macdonald also came back to be the new minister. A Number of factors affected why the Labour Party were successful
• LG disillusionment as reforms were slow and limited
• Distancing from extremism, and ignored the communist international set up by Lenin to spread communism
• British communism party took the image of the communism front and labour appeared socialist

When Stanley Baldwin threatened protectionism trade after the Carlton Club meeting, The Labour and Liberal parties combined vote to protect free trade, and won by 349 seats to 258 seats. As Labour had the majority, they werein the best way to form a new government, with George IV asking Macdonald to form a create a new government.

Macdonald was completely inexperienced in government ruling. He wanted to conduct a minority government that was incredibly stable, so if they were defeated they would be seen as honourable. Forming a cabinet was a mess, offering War office to Henderson, a pacifist and Snowdon, Exchequer, completely unsure of their skills. He even became foreign secretary himself.

As a minority government they looked to cause no controversy and had to tred on a delicate line, so the country did not fall to anarchy by offering social reform and patriotism.
• Five new ships for royal navy
• Legislation introduced to increase unemployment benefits and elimination of benefits gap
• Limit on private income reducing old-age pensions raised.
• Education cuts removed
• Schemes for building roads and electric appliance
• Housing act to increase building trade

However, a series of events led to the downfall of the government

• Macdonald involved in honours scandal with a boyhood friend, Alexander grant being given a knighthood, after he had received biscuit company shares and a brand new Daimler, embarrassing for the government
• Trade treaty with Russia saw ‘Sympathy with bolsheviks’ could re-awaken the fears of Bolshevik sympathies
• Workers weekly published article urging service men not to open fire on workers on strike or in disputes. The author J.R Campbell arrested and prosecuted, led to a protests from cons and libs

The decisive factor in bring government down as controversy continued and led to critics becoming increasingly hostile about his free car. Both Conservatives and Liberals put down efforts of 'censure' or 'condemnation' criticising government and Labour put them forward as votes of no confidence. If they lost, they would resign. They were defeated on October the 8th. The election that followed was marked by Communist fear of the Labour party sympathy, and the leaking of the Zinoviev letter urging a class war. This ended with an overwhelming victory for the Conservatives.

SUMMARY
Socialism come back : Great Reform Act, Das Capital, No working class representation and economic slump in britain causes unemployment.

Three Groups
SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC FEDERATION - Class war and Proletariat revolution
FABIAN SOCIETY - Intellectual Socialists, through current system
SOCIALIST LEAGUE - Similar to SDF
ILP began to form after SDF open discussions about unemployment turn nasty.
James Keir Hardie based party on
- New Liberalism
- Nonconformality
- Trade Unionism

TU's congress invited all four to work for 'working class representation' ILP took lead and steered TU's away from firebrands. LRC was created, hiding 'socialist name'. Taff vale gave huge TU support to LRC

Labour debate on Reform, MARXIST(Abandoned principles) LABOUR(encouraged reform) NEUTRAL (Not big enough to influence)
HOW COULD OF THEY?
Trades Dispute Act - Planned to reverse due to TU membership
Provision of Meals - Originally a private members bill of Labour.
HOWEVER - Liberals had self initiave on both, dedicated to Reform.

1910 GEN ELECTION did not favour. Osbourne Judgement, INP taking x2 seats.
However trade unionism increased, 2.5-4 million. Series of strikes over mining saw national pit strike and a fixed miners wage

WAR INITIALLY THREATENED due to MARXIST, PACIFIST, MODERATE AND TU opinions
Macdonald resigned, but the party remained united by
- Macdonald resigning respectfully
- campaigning not against war but for peace
- AH did not banish opposers
ASQUITH'S COALITION AND LG'S war cabinet, henderson was on both.
eventually resigned over a socialist conference. Coupon election labour was unscathed and had gained experience, they fought it independently against the coalition. Labour did fairly well, but were still linkable to bolshevism and LG had bigger support.
1924, liberals and labour combine to defeat Stanley Baldwins conservative government.
Labour the biggest half, created a new government

Macdonald weak and indecisive, just wanted labour to have an honourable first government, with five ships for the navy, housing scheme after the war and education cuts were removed. However he was weakened by
- honours scandal
- lack of experience
- J.R campbell arrested over pamphlet so Cons/Libs exposed
- Seen as sympathetic with Bolsheviks
they lost a vote of no confidence