|
|
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | {{images OK}}{{submitted}}{{approved}}
| |
| | | | |
| − | {{Infobox British Political Party
| |
| − | |party_name = Labour Party
| |
| − | |party_articletitle = Labour Party (UK)
| |
| − | |leader = [[Gordon Brown]]
| |
| − | |party_logo = [[Image:Labour Party 2007.png|250px|Labour logo]]
| |
| − | |deputy leader = [[Harriet Harman]]
| |
| − | |preceded by = [[Tony Blair]]
| |
| − | |foundation = 1900
| |
| − | |ideology = [[Social democracy]]<br/>[[Third Way (centrism)|Third way]]
| |
| − | |position =
| |
| − | |international = [[Socialist International]]
| |
| − | |european = [[Party of European Socialists]]
| |
| − | |europarl = [[Party of European Socialists]]
| |
| − | |colors = [[Red]]
| |
| − | |headquarters = 39 Victoria Street<br />[[London]], SW1H 0HA
| |
| − | |website = [http://www.labour.org.uk www.labour.org.uk]
| |
| − | }}
| |
| − | The '''Labour Party''' is a [[political party]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. Founded at the start of the 20th century, it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the [[Left-wing politics|left]] in [[Great Britain]], which comprises [[England]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]], but not [[Northern Ireland]], where the [[Social Democratic and Labour Party]] occupies a roughly similar position on the political spectrum (although people in Northern Ireland are eligible to join the Labour Party). Under the [[Third Way (centrism)|Third Way]], the party's position has moved towards the [[Centrist|Center]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Labour surpassed the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] as the main opposition to the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] in the early 1920s. It has had several spells in government, first as minority governments under [[Ramsay MacDonald]] in 1924 and 1929-31, then as a junior partner in the wartime coalition from 1940-1945, and then as a majority government, under [[Clement Attlee]] in 1945-51 and under [[Harold Wilson]] in 1964-70. Labour was in government again in 1974-79, under Wilson and then [[James Callaghan]], though with a precarious and declining majority.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The [[Current Labour government (UK)|current national Labour government]] won a [[landslide victory|landslide 179 seat majority]] in the [[United Kingdom general election, 1997|1997 general election]] under the leadership of [[Tony Blair]], its first general election victory since [[United Kingdom general election, 1974 (October)|October 1974]] and the first general election since [[United Kingdom general election, 1970|1970]] in which it had exceeded 40% of the popular vote. The party's large majority in the [[UK House of Commons|House of Commons]] was slightly reduced to 167 in the [[United Kingdom general election, 2001|2001 general election]] and more substantially reduced to 66 in [[United Kingdom general election, 2005|2005]]. Labour is also the leading partner in the [[coalition government|coalition]] [[Welsh Assembly Government]], is the second largest party in the [[Scottish Parliament]], and has representation in the [[European Parliament]]. The current party [[leadership|leader]] is [[Gordon Brown]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ==Party ideology==
| |
| − | The Labour Party grew out of the [[trade union]] movement and [[Socialism|socialist]] political parties of the 19th century, and continues to describe itself as a party of [[democratic socialism]].<ref name = "iqgxtf">{{cite web|url=http://www.labour.org.uk/labour_policies|title=Labour's policies|accessdate=December 17, 2008}}</ref> Labour was the first political party in Great Britain to stand for the representation of the low-paid [[working class]] and it has traditionally been the working class who were known as the Labour Party grassroots and traditional members and voters.<ref name = "iqgxtf"/> Traditionally, the party was in favor of socialist policies such as [[public ownership]] of key industries, [[Economic intervention|government intervention]] in the economy, [[Income redistribution|redistribution]] of wealth, increased rights for workers and trade unions, and a belief in the [[welfare state]] and publicly funded healthcare and education.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Since the mid-1980s, under the leadership of [[Neil Kinnock]], [[John Smith (UK politician)|John Smith]] and [[Tony Blair]] the party has moved away from its traditional socialist position towards what is often described as the "[[Third Way (centrism)|Third Way]]" adopting some [[free market]] policies.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | This has led many observers to describe the Labour Party as [[social democracy|social democratic]] or even [[neo-liberal]] rather than democratic socialist.<ref>''New Labour and Thatcherism: Political Change in Britain'', Richard Heffernan, 2001; [http://society.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,7884,1013219,00.html New Labour has picked up where Thatcherism left off], Stuart Hall, [[The Guardian]], 6 August 2003; [http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/sociology/papers/jessop-from-thatcherism-to-new-labour.pdf From Thatcherism to New Labour: Neo-Liberalism, Workfarism and Labour Market Regulation], Professor Bob Jessop, [[Lancaster University]]; [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1467-856X.2006.00227.x?cookieSet=1 New Labour, Economic Reform and the European Social Model], Jonathon Hopkin and Daniel Wincott, [[British Journal of Politics and International Relations]], 2006. Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref> Blair himself has described New Labour's political position as a "[[Third Way (centrism)|Third Way]]." The current Labour government have brought in policies such as introducing a [[minimum wage]] and increasing the spending on the NHS and education. It also has been credited with reducing the gap between the rich and poor.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/oct/21/unemploymentdata Guardian Unlimited, Wealth Gap Narrows faster in UK] Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The 2008 Labour Party Conference, for some, represented closer ties with big business and away from workers as Gordon Brown proclaimed "we are, we always have been and we always will be a pro business government."
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ==Party constitution and structure==
| |
| − | {{main|Labour Party Rule Book}}
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The Labour Party is a membership organization consisting of [[Constituency Labour Parties]], [[affiliated trade unions]], [[socialist societies]], and the [[Co-operative Party]], with which it has an electoral agreement. Members who are elected to parliamentary positions take part in the [[Parliamentary Labour Party]] (PLP) and European Parliamentary Labour Party (EPLP). The party's decision-making bodies on a national level formally include the [[National Executive Committee]] (NEC), [[Labour Party Conference]], and [[National Policy Forum]] (NPF)–although in practice the Parliamentary leadership has the final say on policy. Questions of internal party democracy have frequently provoked disputes in the party.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | For many years Labour has held to a policy of [[United Ireland|uniting]] [[Northern Ireland]] and the [[Republic of Ireland]] by consent, and had not allowed residents of Northern Ireland to apply for membership,<ref>{{wayback|www.labour.org.uk/join/form.html|Labour Party membership form}}, ca. 1999. via Internet Archive. Accessed 31 March 2007. "Residents of Northern Ireland are not eligible for membership."</ref> instead supporting the [[Irish nationalism|nationalist]] [[Social Democratic and Labour Party]] (SDLP) which informally takes the Labour whip at the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]].<ref>[http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/docs/alcock.htm Understanding Ulster] by Antony Alcock, Ulster Society Publications, 1997. Chapter II: The Unloved, Unwanted Garrison. Via [[Conflict Archive on the Internet]]. Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref> Yet Labour has a [[Unionism in Ireland|unionist]] faction in its ranks, many of whom assisted in the foundation in 1995 of the [[UK Unionist Party]] led by [[Robert McCartney (politician)|Robert McCartney]]. The 2003 Labour Party Conference accepted legal advice that the party could not continue to prohibit residents of the province joining,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3154222.stm Labour NI ban overturned], BBC News. 1 October 2003. Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref> but the National Executive has decided not to organize or contest elections there.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The party had 198,026 members on 31 December 2005 according to accounts filed with the [[Electoral Commission]] which was down on the previous year. In that year it had an income of about £35 million (£3.7 million from membership fees) and expenditure of about £50 million, high due to the [[United Kingdom general election, 2005|general election]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Party electoral manifestos have not contained the term ''socialism'' since 1992, although when [[Clause 4]] was abolished the words "the Labour Party is a democratic socialist party" were added to the party's constitution.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Internationally, the Labour Party is a member of the [[Socialist International]], and in Europe it is member of the [[Party of European Socialists]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Labour is strictly not a political party, but instead a composition of trade unions and various political organizations. Labour defines a difference between the leading Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), Constituency Labour Parties (CLP), Socialist Societies, Trade Union affiliates and various political parties that choose to affiliate to Labour known as [[entryist]] groups, though the [[Communist Party of Britain]] has been refused affiliation on occasion. [[Vladimir Lenin]] argued that socialist parties should affiliate to Labour to influence the PLP. <ref> [[The Labour Party: A Marxist History]] by [[Tony Cliff]], Cliff in the same book argued Labour was a [[bourgeois]], [[capitalist]] party.</ref>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ==History==
| |
| − | {{main|History of the British Labour Party|History of socialism in Great Britain}}
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===Founding of the party===
| |
| − | [[Image:ILP 21st anniversary certificate large.jpg|400px|right|thumb|The [[Independent Labour Party]], founded in 1893]]
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The Labour Party's origins lie in the late 19th century when it became apparent that there was a need for a political party to represent the interests and needs of the urban [[proletariat]] which had increased in numbers, and of [[working-class]] males who had recently been given [[suffrage|franchise]].<ref>See, for instance, the 1899 [[Lyons vs. Wilkins]] judgment, which limited certain types of picketing</ref> Some members of the trade union movement became interested in moving into the political field, and after the extensions of the franchise in 1867 and 1885, the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] endorsed some trade-union sponsored candidates. In addition, several small [[Socialism|socialist groups]] had formed around this time with the intention of linking the movement to political policies. Among these were the [[Independent Labour Party]], the intellectual and largely [[middle-class]] [[Fabian Society]], the [[Social Democratic Federation]] and the [[Scottish Labour Party (1888–1893)|Scottish Labour Party]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | In the [[United Kingdom general election, 1895|1895 General Election]] the Independent Labour Party put up 28 candidates but won only 44,325 votes. [[Keir Hardie]], the leader of the party believed that to obtain success in parliamentary elections, it would be necessary to join with other left-wing groups.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====Labour Representation Committee====
| |
| − | [[Image:jameskeirhardie.jpg|thumb|left|[[Keir Hardie]], one of the Labour Party's founders and first leader]]
| |
| − |
| |
| − | In 1899 a [[Doncaster]] member of the [[Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants]], Thomas R. Steels, proposed in his union branch that the [[Trade Union Congress]] call a special conference to bring together all the left-wing organizations and form them into a single body which would sponsor Parliamentary candidates. The motion was passed at all stages by the TUC, and this special conference was held at the Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, [[London]] on 26 and 27 February 1900. The meeting was attended by a broad spectrum of working-class and left-wing organizations; trade unions representing about one third of the membership of the TUC delegates. <ref>[http://www.socialisthistorysociety.co.uk/MORTIMER.HTM Mortimer, Jim, ‘The formation of the labour party - Lessons for today’ 2000] Jim Mortimer was a General Secretary of the Labour Party in the 1980s. Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | After a debate the 129 delegates passed Hardie's motion to establish "a distinct Labour group in Parliament, who shall have their own whips, and agree upon their policy, which must embrace a readiness to cooperate with any party which for the time being may be engaged in promoting legislation in the direct interests of labour." This created an association called the '''Labour Representation Committee''' (LRC), meant to coordinate attempts to support MPs, MPs sponsored by trade unions and representing the working-class population.<ref>[http://www.labour.org.uk/history_of_the_labour_party History of the Labour Party] Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref> It had no single leader. In the absence of one, the Independent Labour Party nominee [[Ramsay MacDonald]] was elected as Secretary. He had the difficult task of keeping the various strands of opinions in the LRC united. The [[United Kingdom general election, 1900|October 1900]] "Khaki election" came too soon for the new party to effectively campaign; total expenses for the election only came to £33.<ref> Wright T. & Carter M,(1997) ''"The People's Party"'' Thames & Hudson, ISBN 0-500-27956-x</ref> Only 15 candidatures were sponsored, but two were successful: [[Keir Hardie]] in [[Merthyr Tydfil (UK Parliament constituency)|Merthyr Tydfil]] and [[Richard Bell (politician)|Richard Bell]] in [[Derby (UK Parliament constituency)|Derby]].<ref name="A History Of The British Labour Party"> Thorpe, Andrew. (2001) ''A History Of The British Labour Party'', Palgrave, ISBN 0-333-92908-x</ref>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Support for the LRC was boosted by the 1901 [[Taff Vale Case]], a dispute between strikers and a railway company that ended with the union ordered to pay £23,000 damages for a [[strike action|strike]]. The judgment effectively made strikes illegal since employers could recoup the cost of lost business from the unions. The apparent acquiescence of the Conservative government of [[Arthur Balfour]] to industrial and business interests (traditionally the allies of the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] in opposition to the Conservative's landed interests) intensified support for the LRC against a government that appeared to have little concern for the industrial proletariat and its problems.<ref name="A History Of The British Labour Party"/>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | [[Image:LabourPartyPlaque.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Labour Party Plaque from Caroone House 8 Farringdon Street (demolished 2004)]]
| |
| − |
| |
| − | In the [[United Kingdom general election, 1906|1906 election]], the LRC won 29 seats—helped by the secret 1903 pact between [[Ramsay Macdonald]] and [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] Chief Whip [[Herbert John Gladstone(the lib/lab pact), 1st Viscount Gladstone|Herbert Gladstone]], which aimed at avoiding Labour/Liberal contests in the interest of removing the Conservatives from office.<ref name="A History Of The British Labour Party"/>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | In their first meeting after the election, the group's Members of Parliament decided adopt the name "The Labour Party" (15 February 1906). Keir Hardie, who had taken a leading role in getting the party established, was elected as Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party (in effect, the Leader), although only by one vote over [[David Shackleton]] after several ballots. In the party's early years, the [[Independent Labour Party]] (ILP) provided much of its activist base as the party did not have an individual membership until 1918 and operated as a conglomerate of affiliated bodies until that date. The [[Fabian Society]] provided much of the intellectual stimulus for the party. One of the first acts of the new Liberal government was to reverse the Taff Vale judgment.<ref name="A History Of The British Labour Party"/>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===Early years, and the rise of the Labour Party===
| |
| − | The [[United Kingdom general election, December 1910|December 1910 General Election]] saw 42 Labour MPs elected to the House of Commons.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | This was a significant victory since a year before the election the House of Lords had passed the [[Osborne judgment]] which ruled that Trades Unions in the United Kingdom could no longer donate money to fund the election campaigns and wages of Labour MPs. The governing Liberals were unwilling to repeal this judicial decision with primary legislation. The height of Liberal compromise was to introduce a wage for Members of Parliament, to remove the need to involve the Trade Unions. By 1913, faced with the opposition of the largest Trade Unions, the Liberal government passed the Trade Disputes Act to once more allow Trade Unions to fund Labour MPs.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | During the [[World War I|First World War]] the Labour Party split between supporters and opponents of the conflict and opposition within the party to the war grew as time went on. [[Ramsay MacDonald]], a notable anti-war campaigner, resigned as leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party and [[Arthur Henderson]] became the main figure of authority within the Party and was soon accepted into [[H. H. Asquith]]'s War Cabinet, becoming the first Labour Party member to serve in government.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Despite mainstream Labour Party's support for the Coalition, the [[Independent Labour Party]] was instrumental in opposing mobilization through organizations such as the [[Non-Conscription Fellowship]] and a Labour Party affiliate, the [[British Socialist Party]], organized a number of unofficial [[strike action|strikes]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | [[Arthur Henderson]] resigned from the Cabinet in 1917 amidst calls for Party unity, being replaced by [[George Nicoll Barnes|George Barnes]]. The growth in Labour's local activist base and organization was reflected in the elections following the War, with the [[co-operative]] movement now providing its own resources to the [[Co-operative Party]] after the armistice. The Co-operative Party later reached an electoral agreement with the Labour Party.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Following the war, the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] went into rapid decline. With the party suffering a catastrophic split between supporters of leader [[David Lloyd George]] and former leader [[H. H. Asquith]]. This allowed the Labour Party to co-opt much of the Liberals' support.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | With the Liberals in disarray, Labour won 142 seats at the [[United Kingdom general election, 1922|1922 General Election]] making it the second largest political group in the [[British House of Commons]] and the official opposition to the Conservative Government. After the election, the now rehabilitated Ramsay MacDonald was voted the first official leader of the Labour Party.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===First Labour governments under MacDonald (1924 and 1929-1931)===
| |
| − | [[Image:Ramsay MacDonald ggbain.29588.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ramsay MacDonald]], the first Labour Prime Minister, 1924, 1929–31 ([[National Government (United Kingdom)|National from 1931-35]])]]
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====First Labour government (1924)====
| |
| − | The [[United Kingdom general election, 1923|1923 general election]] was fought on the Conservatives' [[protectionist]] proposals; although they got the most votes and remained the largest party, they lost their majority in parliament, requiring a government supporting [[free trade]] to be formed. So with the acquiescence of Asquith's Liberals, [[Ramsay MacDonald]] became Prime Minister in January 1924 and formed the first ever Labour government, despite Labour only having 191 MPs (less than a third of the House of Commons).
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Because the government had to rely on the support of the Liberals, it was unable to get any socialist legislation passed by the House of Commons. The only significant measure was the [[Wheatley Housing Act]] which began a building programme of 500,000 homes for rent to working-class families.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The government collapsed after only nine months when the Liberals voted for a Select Committee inquiry into the [[Patrick Hastings#Campbell Case|Campbell Case]], a vote which MacDonald had declared to be a vote of confidence. The ensuing [[United Kingdom general election, 1924|general election]] saw the publication, four days before polling day, of the notorious [[Grigory Zinoviev|Zinoviev letter]], which implicated Labour in a plot for a [[Communism|Communist revolution]] in Britain, and the Conservatives were returned to power, although Labour increased its vote from 30.7% of the popular vote to a third of the popular vote; most of the Conservative gains were at the expense of the Liberals. The Zinoviev letter is now generally believed to have been a forgery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article1819658.ece|title=The truth about Churchill's spy chief and the Zinoviev Letter|publication=[[The Independent]]}} Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | In opposition, Ramsay MacDonald continued with his policy of presenting the Labour Party as a moderate force in politics. During the [[UK General Strike of 1926|General Strike of 1926]] he opposed strike action arguing that the best way to achieve social reforms was through the ballot box.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====Second Labour government (1929-1931)====
| |
| − | At the [[United Kingdom general election, 1929|1929 general election]] the Labour Party for the first time became the largest grouping in the House of Commons with 287 seats, and 37.1% of the popular vote (actually slightly less than the Conservatives). However, MacDonald was still reliant on Liberal support to form a minority government.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The government however, soon found itself engulfed in crisis; The [[Wall Street Crash of 1929]] and eventual [[Great Depression in the United Kingdom|Great Depression]] occurred soon after the government came to power, and the crisis hit Britain hard. By the end of 1930 the unemployment rate had doubled to over two and a half million.<ref name="To Build A New Jerusalem"> Davies, A.J. (1996) ''To Build A New Jerusalem: The British Labour Party from Keir Hardie to Tony Blair'', Abacus, ISBN 0349 108099</ref>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The government had no effective answers to the crisis. By the summer of 1931, a dispute over whether to introduce large cuts to public spending split the government. With the economic situation worsening, MacDonald agreed to form a "[[National Government (UK)|National Government]]" with the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] and the [[The Liberal Party (UK)|Liberals]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | On 24 August 1931 MacDonald submitted the resignation of his ministers and led a small number of his senior colleagues in forming the National Government with the other parties. This move caused great anger within the Labour Party and MacDonald and his supporters were then expelled from the Labour Party and formed the [[National Labour Party (UK)|National Labour Party]]. The remaining Labour Party, now led by [[Arthur Henderson]], and a few Liberals went into opposition.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Soon after this, a [[General Election]] was called. The [[United Kingdom general election, 1931|1931 election]] resulted in a landslide victory for the National Government, and was a disaster for the Labour Party which won only 52 seats, 225 fewer than in 1929.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===Opposition during the 1930s===
| |
| − | [[Arthur Henderson]], who had been elected in 1931 as Labour leader to succeed MacDonald, lost his seat in the 1931 General Election. The only former Labour cabinet member who survived the landslide was the pacifist [[George Lansbury]], who accordingly became party leader.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The party experienced a further split in 1932 when the [[Independent Labour Party]], which for some years had been increasingly at odds with the Labour leadership, opted to disaffiliate from the Labour Party. The ILP embarked on a long drawn out decline.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Lansbury resigned as leader in 1935 after public disagreements over foreign policy. He was replaced as leader by his deputy, [[Clement Attlee]]. The party experienced a revival at the [[United Kingdom general election, 1935|1935 General Election]], winning a similar number of votes to those attained in 1929 and actually, at 38% of the popular vote, the highest percentage that Labour had ever achieved, securing 154 seats.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | With the rising threat from [[Nazi Germany]] in the 1930s, the Labour Party gradually abandoned its earlier [[pacifism|pacifist]] stance, and came out in favor of rearmament. This shift largely came about due to the efforts of [[Ernest Bevin]] and [[Hugh Dalton]] who by 1937 also persuaded the party to oppose [[Neville Chamberlain]]'s policy of [[appeasement]].<ref name="To Build A New Jerusalem"/>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===Wartime coalition===
| |
| − | The party was brought back into government in 1940 as part of a wartime coalition government: When [[Neville Chamberlain]] resigned as Prime Minister after the defeat in Norway in spring 1940, and incoming Prime Minister [[Winston Churchill]] decided that it was important to bring the other main parties into the government and have a Wartime Coalition similar to that in the First World War. Clement Attlee became [[Lord Privy Seal]] and a member of the War cabinet, and was effectively (and eventually formally) [[Deputy Prime Minister]] for the remainder of the duration of the War in Europe.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | A number of other senior Labour figures took up senior positions: the trade union leader [[Ernest Bevin]] as [[Secretary of State for Employment|Minister of Labour]] directed Britain's wartime economy and allocation of manpower; the veteran Labour statesman [[Herbert Morrison]] became [[Home Secretary]]; [[Hugh Dalton]] was [[Minister of Economic Warfare]] and later [[President of the Board of Trade]]; and [[A. V. Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Hillsborough|A. V. Alexander]] resumed the role of [[First Lord of the Admiralty]] he had held in the previous Labour government. The party generally performed well in government, and its experience there may have been partly responsible for its post-war success.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===Post-War victory under Attlee===
| |
| − | With the end of the war in Europe in May 1945, Labour resolved not to repeat the Liberals' error of 1918, and withdrew from the government to contest the [[United Kingdom general election, 1945|1945 general election]] (5 July) in opposition to Churchill's Conservatives. Surprising many observers, Labour won a landslide victory, winning just under 50% of the vote with a majority of 145 seats.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | [[Image:Attlee BW cropped.jpg|thumb|[[Clement Attlee]]: Labour Prime Minister 1945-51]]
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Clement Attlee's government proved to be one of the most radical British governments of the 20th century. It presided over a policy of selective [[nationalization]] of major industries and utilities, including the [[Bank of England]], [[National Coal Board|coal mining]], the [[Iron and Steel Corporation of Great Britain|steel industry]], electricity, gas, telephones, and inland transport (including the [[British Railways|railways]], road haulage and canals). It developed the "cradle to grave" [[welfare state]] conceived by the Liberal economist [[William Beveridge]]. To this day, the party still considers the creation in 1948 of Britain's [[Publicly-funded health care|publicly funded]] [[National Health Service]] under health minister [[Aneurin Bevan]] its proudest achievement.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Attlee's government also began the process of dismantling the [[British Empire]] when it granted independence to [[India]] in 1947. This was followed by Burma ([[Myanmar]]) and Ceylon ([[Sri Lanka]]) the following year.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | With the onset of the [[Cold War]], at a secret meeting in January 1947, Attlee, and six cabinet ministers including foreign minister [[Ernest Bevin]], secretly decided to proceed with the development of Britain's [[nuclear deterrent]],<ref name="To Build A New Jerusalem"/> in opposition to the pacifist and anti-nuclear stances of a large element inside the Labour Party.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Labour won the [[United Kingdom general election, 1950|1950 general election]] but with a much reduced majority of five seats. Soon after the 1950 election, things started to go badly for the Labour government. Defense became one of the divisive issues for Labour itself, especially defense spending (which reached 14% of GDP in 1951 during the [[Korean War]]).<ref>Clark, Sir George, ''Illustrated History Of Great Britain'', (1987) Octupus Books</ref> These costs put enormous strain on public finances, forcing savings to be found elsewhere. The [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], [[Hugh Gaitskell]] introduced [[prescription charges]] for NHS [[prescription drug|prescriptions]], causing Bevan, along with [[Harold Wilson]] ([[President of the Board of Trade]]) to resign over the dilution of the principle of free treatment.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Soon after this, another election was called. Labour narrowly lost the [[United Kingdom general election, 1951|October 1951 election]] to the Conservatives, despite their receiving a larger share of the popular vote and, in fact, their highest vote ever numerically.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Most of the changes introduced by the 1945-51 Labour government however were accepted by the Conservatives and became part of the "[[post war consensus]]," which lasted until the 1970s
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===The "Thirteen Wasted Years"===
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Following their defeat in 1951 the party underwent a long period in opposition lasting thirteen years. The party suffered an ideological split during the 1950s, and the postwar economic recovery meant that the public was broadly contented with the Conservative governments of the time. Attlee remained as leader until his retirement in 1955.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | His replacement [[Hugh Gaitskell]] struggled with internal divisions within the party in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and Labour lost the [[United Kingdom general election, 1959|1959 general election]]. Gaitskell's sudden death in 1963 made way for [[Harold Wilson]] to lead the party.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===The 1960s and 1970s===
| |
| − | ====Labour in government under Wilson (1964-1970)====
| |
| − | [[Image:Dodwilson.JPG|thumb|200px|right|[[Harold Wilson]], Labour Prime Minister 1964–1970 and 1974-1976]]
| |
| − | A downturn in the economy, along with a series of scandals in the early 1960s (the most notorious being the [[Profumo affair]]), engulfed the Conservative government by 1963. The Labour party returned to government with a razor-thin 4 seat majority under Wilson in the [[United Kingdom general election, 1964|1964 election]], and increased their majority to 96 in [[United Kingdom general election, 1966|1966 election]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Events derailed the wave of optimism which swept Labour to power in 1964. Wilson's government inherited a large [[trade deficit]], which led to a [[currency crisis]] and an ultimately doomed attempt to stave off devaluation of the [[pound sterling|pound]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Despite the crisis, Wilson's government was responsible for a number of social and educational reforms such as legalization of [[abortion]] and [[homosexuality]], and the abolition of the [[death penalty]] for murder. The 1960s Labour government also expanded [[comprehensive education]] and created the [[Open University]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Labour unexpectedly lost the [[United Kingdom general election, 1970|1970 general election]] to the Conservatives under [[Edward Heath]]. Heath's government however soon ran into trouble over [[Northern Ireland]] and a dispute with miners in 1973 which led to the "[[three-day week]]."
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The 1970s proved to be a very difficult time to be in government for both the Conservatives and Labour due to the [[1973 oil crisis]] which caused high [[inflation]] and a global recession.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Labour returned to power again under Wilson a few weeks after the [[United Kingdom general election, 1974 (February)|February 1974 general election]], forming a minority government with Ulster Unionist support. The Conservatives were unable to form a government as they had fewer seats, even though they had received more votes. It was the first General Election since 1924 in which both main parties received less than 40% of the popular vote, and was the first of six successive General Elections in which Labour failed to reach 40% of the popular vote. In a bid for Labour to gain a majority, a second election was soon called for [[United Kingdom general election, 1974 (October)|October 1974]] in which Labour, still with Harold Wilson as leader, scraped a majority of three, gaining just 18 seats and taking their total to 319.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====Labour in power 1974-1979====
| |
| − |
| |
| − | In government, the Labour Party's internal splits over Britain's membership of the [[European Economic Community]] (EEC) which Britain had entered under Edward Heath in 1972, led to a [[United Kingdom European Communities membership referendum, 1975|national referendum]] on the issue in 1975, in which two thirds of the public supported continued membership.
| |
| − | [[Image:James Callaghan.JPG|thumb|left|[[James Callaghan]]: Labour Prime Minister from 1976 to 1979.]]
| |
| − | The Labour Government struggled for much of its time in office with serious economic problems and a precarious and declining majority in the commons. Fear of advances by the nationalist parties, particularly in Scotland, led to the suppression of a report from Scottish Office economist Gavin McCrone which suggested that an independent Scotland would be 'chronically in surplus' and to secret collusion with [[Margaret Thatcher]]'s Conservatives. Harold Wilson unexpectedly resigned as prime minister in 1976. He was replaced by [[James Callaghan]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The Wilson and Callaghan governments were hampered by their lack of a workable majority in the commons. At the October 1974 election, Labour won a majority of only three seats. Several by-election losses and defections to the breakaway [[Scottish Labour Party (1976)|Scottish Labour Party]] meant that by 1977, Callaghan was heading a minority government, and was forced to do deals with other parties to survive. An arrangement was negotiated in 1977 with the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] leader [[David Steel]] known as the [[Lib-Lab pact]], but this ended after one year. After this, deals were made with various small parties, including the [[Scottish National Party]] and the [[Wales|Welsh]] nationalist [[Plaid Cymru]], which prolonged the life of the government slightly longer.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The [[nationalism|nationalist]] parties demanded [[devolution]] to their respective countries in return for their support for the government. When [[referendum]]s for Scottish and Welsh devolution were held in March 1979, the [[Welsh devolution referendum, 1979|Welsh referendum]] was rejected outright, and the [[Scottish devolution referendum, 1979|Scottish referendum]] had a narrow majority in favor but did not reach the threshold of 40% support of the electorate, a requirement of the legislation. When the Labour Government refused to push ahead with setting up the Scottish Assembly, the SNP withdrew its support for the government, causing the government to collapse on a vote of no confidence.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The Wilson and Callaghan governments in the 1970s tried to control [[inflation]] (which had reached 26.9% in 1975) by instituting a policy of [[wage restraint]]. This policy was initially fairly successful at controlling inflation, which had been reduced to 7.4% by 1978.<ref name="A History Of The British Labour Party"/> However it led to increasingly strained relations between the government and the trade unions.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Callaghan had been widely expected to call a general election in the autumn of 1978, when most opinion polls showed Labour to have a narrow lead.<ref name="A History Of The British Labour Party"/> However instead, he decided to extend the wage restraint policy for another year in the hope that the economy would be in a better shape in time for a 1979 election. This proved to be a big mistake.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | During the winter of 1978-79 there were widespread [[Strike action|strikes]] in favor of higher pay rises which caused significant disruption to everyday life. The strikes affected lorry drivers, railway workers, car workers and local government and hospital workers. These came to be dubbed as the "[[Winter of Discontent]]."
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The strikes made Callaghan's government unpopular. After the withdrawal of SNP support for the government, the Conservatives put down a [[vote of no confidence]], which was held and passed by one vote on 28 March 1979, forcing a general election.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | In the [[United Kingdom general election, 1979|1979 general election]], Labour suffered electoral defeat to the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] led by [[Margaret Thatcher]]. The numbers voting Labour hardly changed between February 1974 and 1979, but in 1979 the Conservative Party achieved big increases in support in the Midlands and South of England, mainly from the ailing Liberals, and benefited from a surge in turnout.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===The 'Wilderness Years' (1979-1997)===
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Following their defeat at the 1979 election, the Labour Party underwent a period of bitter internal rivalry in the Labour Party which had become increasingly divided between the ever more dominant left-wingers under [[Michael Foot]] and [[Tony Benn]] (whose supporters dominated the party organization at the grassroots level), and the right under [[Denis Healey]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The election of Michael Foot as leader in 1980, dismayed many on the right of the party, who believed that Labour was becoming too [[left-wing]]. In 1981 a group of four former cabinet ministers from the right and center of the Labour Party ([[Shirley Williams]], [[William Rodgers]], [[Roy Jenkins]], and [[David Owen]]) issued the "[[Limehouse Declaration]]" and formed the breakaway [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic Party]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Margaret Thatcher's government was initially deeply unpopular due to high unemployment and inflation but the success of the [[Falklands War]] in 1982, her success in controlling [[inflation]] and the [[right to buy]] revived her popularity, while the formation of the SDP split the opposition vote. The Labour Party was defeated by a landslide in the [[United Kingdom general election, 1983|1983 general election]] winning only 27.6% of the vote, their lowest share since [[United Kingdom general election, 1918|1918]]. Labour won only half a million votes more than the [[SDP-Liberal Alliance]] which had attracted the votes of many moderate Labour supporters.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Michael Foot resigned as leader and was replaced by [[Neil Kinnock]], who progressively moved the party towards the center. Labour improved its performance at the [[United Kingdom general election, 1987|1987 general election]], gaining 20 seats reducing the Conservative majority to 102 from 143 in 1983, despite a sharp rise in turnout.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Neil Kinnock was seen as too right wing for much of the Labour Left especially the [[Militant Tendency]] that Kinnock later forced them out of the party, they would later become the [[Socialist Party of England and Wales]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Margaret Thatcher was replaced as prime minister by [[John Major]] in 1990. By the time of the [[United Kingdom general election, 1992|1992 general election]], the economy was in recession and, despite the personal unpopularity of Neil Kinnock, Labour looked as if it could win. The party had dropped its policy of [[Nuclear disarmament#Organizations|Unilateral Nuclear Disarmament]], and had tried to present itself as a credible government-in-waiting. Most opinion polls showed the party to have a slight lead over the Conservatives, although rarely sufficient for a majority. The Conservatives were returned to power but with a much reduced majority of 20. Although Labour's support was comparable to the February and October 1974 and May 1979 General Elections, the overall turnout was much larger.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Kinnock resigned as leader and was replaced by [[John Smith (UK politician)|John Smith]]. Soon after the 1992 election, the Conservative government ran into trouble, when on ''[[Black Wednesday]]'' it was forced to leave the [[European Exchange Rate Mechanism]]. After this, Labour moved ahead in the opinion polls as the Conservatives declined in popularity. John Smith's sudden death from a heart attack in May 1994 made way for [[Tony Blair]] to lead the Party.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | === New Labour ===
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Tony Blair moved the party further to the right, adopting policies which broke with Labour's socialist heritage at the 1995 mini-conference in a strategy to increase the party's appeal to "[[middle England]]."
| |
| − | [[Image:Tony Blair WEF 2008 cropped.jpg|thumb|left|[[Tony Blair]], Labour Prime Minister 1997-2007]]
| |
| − | "New Labour" was first termed as an alternative branding for the Labour Party, dating from a conference slogan first used by the Labour Party in 1994 which was later seen in a draft [[manifesto]] published by the party in 1996, called ''[[New Labour, New Life For Britain]]''. The rise of the name coincided with a rightwards shift of the British political spectrum; for Labour, this was a continuation of the trend that had begun under the leadership of [[Neil Kinnock]]. "New Labour" as a name has no official status but remains in common use to distinguish modernizers from those holding to more traditional positions who normally are referred to as "Old Labour." New Labour has been used a derogative term by some to separate the "Thatcherite" policies adopted by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to that of Old Labour and the old [[Clause 4]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | [[New Labour]]'s apparent abandoning of [[working class]] supporters has resulted, some argue, in the [[Campaign for a New Workers' Party]], the [[Respect Coalition]], the rise in the [[Scottish National Party]] and the [[British National Party]], revival of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], questioning of [[capitalism]] and [[trade union]] activity that has not been seen since the 1980s.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====In government====
| |
| − | {{main|Current Labour government (UK)|Premiership of Tony Blair|Premiership of Gordon Brown}}
| |
| − |
| |
| − | With the unpopularity of John Major's government, the Labour party won the [[United Kingdom general election, 1997|1997 election]] with a landslide majority of 179.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Among the early acts of Tony Blair's government were the establishment of the [[National minimum wage]], the [[devolution]] of power to [[Scotland]], [[Wales]] and [[Northern Ireland]], and the re-creation of a city-wide government body for [[London]]; the [[Greater London Authority]].
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Labour went on to win the [[United Kingdom general election, 2001|2001 election]] with a similar majority to 1997. Tony Blair controversially allied himself with President [[George W Bush]] in supporting the [[Iraq War]], which lost his government much support.<ref>[http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,745536,00.html European Opposition To Iraq War Grows] Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref>
| |
| − | The [[UN Secretary-General]] among many, considered the war illegal<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3661134.stm Iraq war illegal, says Annan] Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref>.
| |
| − | At the [[United Kingdom general election, 2005|2005 election]], Labour was returned to power with a much reduced majority.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The party lost power in Scotland after losing the [[Scottish Parliament election, 2007|2007 Scottish Parliament election]]. In the same year, Tony Blair stood down as prime minister and was replaced by [[Gordon Brown]]. Although the party experienced a brief rise in the polls, the party's popularity soon slumped to its lowest level since under Michael Foot. During May 2008, Labour suffered heavy defeats in the [[London mayoral election, 2008|London mayoral election]], [[United Kingdom local elections, 2008|local elections]] and the [[Crewe and Nantwich by-election, 2008|Crewe and Nantwich by-election]], culminating in the party registering its worst ever opinion poll result since records began in 1943, of 23%.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jeremy |last=Lovell |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Brown hit by worst party rating |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUKL2944559620080530 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |location=London |date=2008-05-30 |accessdate=December 17, 2008}}</ref> In June 2008 Labour suffered another poor result in the [[Henley by-election, 2008|Henley by-election]], coming in fifth place behind the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]] and the [[British National Party]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Labour fifth as Tories win Henley |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7476703.stm |work=BBC News |publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]] |location=London |date=2008-06-27 |accessdate=December 17, 2008}}</ref> In July 2008 Labour lost another by-election in the [[Glasgow East by-election, 2008|Glasgow East by-election]] to [[Scottish National Party|SNP]] by 365 votes but with a swing to the SNP of 22.5%.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Finance has proved a major problem for the Labour Party in recent years. A "cash for peerages" scandal under Tony Blair resulted in the drying up of many major sources of donations. Declining party membership, partially due to the reduction of activists' influence upon policymaking under the reforms of Neil Kinnock and Tony Blair, has also contributed to financial woes. Between January and March 2008, the Labour Party received just over £3 million in donations and are £17 million in debt; compared to the Conservatives' £6 million in donations and £12 million in debt, the Electoral Commission declared on 22 May 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/news-and-media/news-releases/electoral-commission-media-centre/news-releases-donations/new-figures-published-showing-political-partiesrsquo-donations-and-borrowing|title=New figures published showing political parties’ donations and borrowing|date=2008-05-22|publisher=[[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|The Electoral Commission]]|accessdate=December 17, 2008}}</ref>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Gordon Brown's Labour government suffered its first significant defeat in the [[House Of Lords]] on 15th October 2008, when the Lords rejected proposals to allow police to hold terror suspects for 42 days without charge.
| |
| − | Gordon Brown was accused of a "tax bombshell" by opposition leader [[David Cameron]], who argued that the "tax cut" of vat by 2.5% and the overall tax cut package was funded by debt which would lead to future tax increases.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cameron-predicts-1631500-tax-bombshell-1023101.html Cameron predicts £1,500 'tax bombshell'] Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref>
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ==Electoral performance==
| |
| − | This chart shows the electoral performance of the Labour Party in [[general election (UK)|general elections]] since 1900. (<small>''Source [http://www.election.demon.co.uk/geresults.html]''</small>)
| |
| − | [[Image:Popular vote.jpg|thumb|A graph showing the percentage of the popular vote received by major parties in general elections, 1832-2005. The rapid rise of the Labour party after its founding during the Victorian era is clear, and the party is now considered as one of the dominant forces in British politics.]]
| |
| − | {| class="wikitable"
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|'''Election'''
| |
| − | | '''Number of votes for Labour'''
| |
| − | | '''Share of votes'''
| |
| − | | '''Seats'''
| |
| − | | align=center|'''Outcome of election'''
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1900|1900]]
| |
| − | | align=center|62,698
| |
| − | | align=center|1.8%
| |
| − | | align=center|2
| |
| − | | align=left|[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1906|1906]]
| |
| − | | align=center|321,663
| |
| − | | align=center|5.7%
| |
| − | | align=center|29
| |
| − | | align=left|[[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, January 1910|1910 (January)]]
| |
| − | | align=center|505,657
| |
| − | | align=center|7.6%
| |
| − | | align=center|40
| |
| − | | align=left|[[Hung parliament]] (Liberal [[minority government]])
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, December 1910|1910 (December)]]
| |
| − | | align=center|371,802
| |
| − | | align=center|7.1%
| |
| − | | align=center|42
| |
| − | | align=left|Hung parliament (Liberal minority government)
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1918|1918]]<sup>†</sup>
| |
| − | | align=center|2,245,777
| |
| − | | align=center|21.5%
| |
| − | | align=center|57
| |
| − | | align=left|Liberal/Conservative Coalition Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1922|1922]]
| |
| − | | align=center|4,076,665
| |
| − | | align=center|29.7%
| |
| − | | align=center|142
| |
| − | | align=left|Conservative Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1923|1923]]
| |
| − | | align=center|4,267,831
| |
| − | | align=center|30.7%
| |
| − | | align=center|191
| |
| − | | align=left|Hung parliament (Labour minority government)
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1924|1924]]
| |
| − | | align=center|5,281,626
| |
| − | | align=center|33.3%
| |
| − | | align=center|151
| |
| − | | align=left|Conservative Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1929|1929]]<sup>‡</sup>
| |
| − | | align=center|8,048,968
| |
| − | | align=center|37.1%
| |
| − | | align=center|287
| |
| − | | align=left|Hung parliament (Labour minority government)
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1931|1931]]
| |
| − | | align=center|6,339,306
| |
| − | | align=center|30.8%
| |
| − | | align=center|52
| |
| − | | align=left|[[National Government (United Kingdom)|National Government]] Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1935|1935]]
| |
| − | | align=center|7,984,988
| |
| − | | align=center|38.0%
| |
| − | | align=center|154
| |
| − | | align=left|National Government Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1945|1945]]
| |
| − | | align=center|11,967,746
| |
| − | | align=center|49.7%
| |
| − | | align=center|393
| |
| − | | align=left|Labour Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1950|1950]]
| |
| − | | align=center|13,266,176
| |
| − | | align=center|46.1%
| |
| − | | align=center|315
| |
| − | | align=left|Labour Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1951|1951]]
| |
| − | | align=center|13,948,883
| |
| − | | align=center|48.8%
| |
| − | | align=center|295
| |
| − | | align=left|Conservative Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1955|1955]]
| |
| − | | align=center|12,405,254
| |
| − | | align=center|46.4%
| |
| − | | align=center|277
| |
| − | | align=left|Conservative Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1959|1959]]
| |
| − | | align=center|12,216,172
| |
| − | | align=center|43.8%
| |
| − | | align=center|258
| |
| − | | align=left|Conservative Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1964|1964]]
| |
| − | | align=center|12,205,808
| |
| − | | align=center|44.1%
| |
| − | | align=center|317
| |
| − | | align=left|Labour Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1966|1966]]
| |
| − | | align=center|13,096,629
| |
| − | | align=center|48.0%
| |
| − | | align=center|364
| |
| − | | align=left|Labour Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1970|1970]]
| |
| − | | align=center|12,208,758
| |
| − | | align=center|43.1%
| |
| − | | align=center|288
| |
| − | | align=left|Conservative Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, February 1974|1974 (February)]]
| |
| − | | align=center|11,645,616
| |
| − | | align=center|37.2%
| |
| − | | align=center|301
| |
| − | | align=left|Hung parliament (Labour minority government)
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, October 1974|1974 (October)]]
| |
| − | | align=center|11,457,079
| |
| − | | align=center|39.2%
| |
| − | | align=center|319
| |
| − | | align=left|Labour Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1979|1979]]
| |
| − | | align=center|11,532,218
| |
| − | | align=center|36.9%
| |
| − | | align=center|269
| |
| − | | align=left|Conservative Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1983|1983]]
| |
| − | | align=center|8,456,934
| |
| − | | align=center|27.6%
| |
| − | | align=center|209
| |
| − | | align=left|Conservative Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1987|1987]]
| |
| − | | align=center|10,029,807
| |
| − | | align=center|30.8%
| |
| − | | align=center|229
| |
| − | | align=left|Conservative Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1992|1992]]
| |
| − | | align=center|11,560,484
| |
| − | | align=center|34.4%
| |
| − | | align=center|271
| |
| − | | align=left|Conservative Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 1997|1997]]
| |
| − | | align=center|13,518,167
| |
| − | | align=center|43.2%
| |
| − | | align=center|419
| |
| − | | align=left|Labour Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 2001|2001]]
| |
| − | | align=center|10,724,953
| |
| − | | align=center|40.7%
| |
| − | | align=center|413
| |
| − | | align=left|Labour Victory
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | align=center|[[United Kingdom general election, 2005|2005]]
| |
| − | | align=center|9,562,122
| |
| − | | align=center|35.3%
| |
| − | | align=center|356
| |
| − | | align=left|Labour Victory
| |
| − | |}
| |
| − | <sup>†</sup>''The first election held under the [[Representation of the People Act 1918]] in which all men over 21, and most women over the age of 30 could vote, and therefore a much larger electorate.''
| |
| − |
| |
| − | <sup>‡</sup>''The first election under [[universal suffrage]] in which all women aged over 21 could vote.''
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ==Leaders of the Labour Party==
| |
| − | : ''See also [[List of United Kingdom Labour Party leaders]]''
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ==Deputy leaders of the Labour Party since 1922==
| |
| − | : ''See also [[Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (UK)]]''
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ==Leaders of the Labour Party in the House of Lords since 1924==
| |
| − | *[[Richard Haldane, 1st Viscount Haldane]] 1924-1928
| |
| − | *[[Charles Cripps, 1st Baron Parmoor]] 1928-1931
| |
| − | *[[Arthur Ponsonby, 1st Baron Ponsonby of Shulbrede]] 1931-1935
| |
| − | *[[Harry Snell, 1st Baron Snell]] 1935-1940
| |
| − | *[[Christopher Addison, 1st Viscount Addison]] 1940-1952
| |
| − | *[[William Jowitt, 1st Earl Jowitt]] 1952-1955
| |
| − | *[[Albert Victor Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Hillsborough]] 1955-1964
| |
| − | *[[Francis Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford]] 1964-1968
| |
| − | *[[Edward Shackleton, Baron Shackleton]] 1968-1974
| |
| − | *[[Malcolm Shepherd, 2nd Baron Shepherd]] 1974-1976
| |
| − | *[[Fred Peart, Baron Peart]] 1976-1982
| |
| − | *[[Cledwyn Hughes, Baron Cledwyn of Penrhos]] 1982-1992
| |
| − | *[[Ivor Richard, Baron Richard]] 1992-1998
| |
| − | *[[Margaret Jay, Baroness Jay of Paddington]] 1998-2001
| |
| − | *[[Gareth Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn]] 2001-2003
| |
| − | *[[Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos]] 2003-2007
| |
| − | *[[Catherine Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland]] 2007-
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ==See also==
| |
| − | {|width=100%
| |
| − | |-valign=top
| |
| − | |width=33%|
| |
| − | *[[Co-operative Party]]
| |
| − | *[[Labour Co-operative]]
| |
| − | *[[History of British Socialism]]
| |
| − | *[[Labour leadership election]]
| |
| − | *[[List of organisations associated with the British Labour Party]]
| |
| − | *[[List of Labour Party (UK) MPs]]
| |
| − | *[[Labour Party|List of other Labour Parties]]
| |
| − | *[[Politics of the UK]]
| |
| − | *[[Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2007]]
| |
| − | |width=33%|
| |
| − | *[[Welsh Labour]]
| |
| − | *[[Scottish Labour Party]]
| |
| − | *[[Social Democratic and Labour Party]]
| |
| − | *[[Liberal Democrats|Liberal Democrat Party]]
| |
| − | *[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]]
| |
| − | *[[Socialist Party (England and Wales)|Socialist Party]] (successor to Militant)
| |
| − | *[[Socialist Labour Party]] ([[Arthur Scargill]]'s breakaway party)
| |
| − | *[[Labour Students]]
| |
| − | |}
| |
| − |
| |
| − | == Notes ==
| |
| − | {{reflist|2}}
| |
| − |
| |
| − | == References ==
| |
| − | {{refbegin|2}}
| |
| − | * Davies, A.J, ''To Build A New Jerusalem''. London: Michael Joseph, 1992. ISBN 0349108099
| |
| − | * Foote, Geoffrey. ''The Labour Party's Political Thought: A History'', London; Dover, N.H.: Croom Helm, 1985. ISBN 9780709910756
| |
| − | * Francis, Martin. ''Ideas and Policies under Labour 1945-51'', [[Manchester University Press]], 1997. ISBN 0719048338
| |
| − | * Howell, David. ''British Social Democracy'', New York: St. Martin's Press, 1976. {{OCLC|2650337}}
| |
| − | * Howell, David. ''MacDonald's Party'', Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN 9780198203049
| |
| − | * Miliband, Ralph. ''Parliamentary Socialism'', Black Point, N.S. : Fernwood Pub., 2008. ISBN 9781552662878
| |
| − | * Morgan, Kenneth O. ''Labour in Power'', 1945-51, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984. 1984. ISBN 9780192158659
| |
| − | * Morgan, Kenneth O. ''Labour People: Leaders and Lieutenants, Hardie to Kinnock''. Oxford University Press, 1987. ISBN 9780198201854
| |
| − | * Pelling, Henry and Alastair J. Reid, ''A Short History of the Labour Party'', Palgrave Macmillan, 2005 ed. {{OCLC|167562}}
| |
| − | * Pilger, John. [[''Freedom Next time'']] Bantam Press 2006. ISBN 0593055527.
| |
| − | * Pimlott Ben, ''Labour and the Left in the 1930s'', [[Cambridge University Press]], 1977. ISBN 9780521214483
| |
| − | * Plant, Raymond, Matt Beech and Kevin Hickson (2004). ''The Struggle for Labour's Soul: understanding Labour's political thought since 1945'', Routledge. ISBN 9780415312844
| |
| − | * Ponting, Clive. ''Breach of Promise'' (1964-70), New York : Fawcett Columbine, 1998. ISBN 9780449908495
| |
| − | * Rosen, Greg. ''Dictionary of Labour Biography''. [[Politicos Publishing]], 2001. ISBN 1902301188
| |
| − | * Rosen, Greg. ''Old Labour to New'', [[Politicos Publishing]], 2005. ISBN 1842750453
| |
| − | * Shaw, Eric. ''The Labour Party since 1979: Crisis and Transformation'', Routledge, 1994. ISBN 9780415056151
| |
| − | * Thorpe, Andrew. ''A History of the British Labour Party'', Palgrave Macmillan, 2001. ISBN 9780333560808
| |
| − | * Whitehead, Phillip. ''The Writing on the Wall'' [[Michael Joseph]], 1985. ISBN 9780718128074
| |
| − | * Wintour, Patrick and Colin Hughes, ''Labour Rebuilt'' [[Fourth Estate]], 1990. ISBN 9781872180700
| |
| − | {{refend}}
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ==External links==
| |
| − | All links Retrieved December 17, 2008.
| |
| − | ===Official party sites===
| |
| − | *[http://www.labour.org.uk Labour]
| |
| − | *[http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/home Scottish Labour]
| |
| − | *[http://www.welshlabour.org.uk/ Welsh Labour]
| |
| − | *[http://www.glalabour.com/ London Assembly Labour]
| |
| − | *[http://www.labour.org.uk/younglabour/ Young Labour] - Party youth wing
| |
| − |
| |
| − | === Other ===
| |
| − | *[http://www.labour-party.org.uk Unofficial website with an archive of electoral manifestos and a directory of related websites]
| |
| − | *[http://www.labourhome.org Labourhome - unofficial Labour Party grassroots]
| |
| − | *[http://www.labourhistory.org.uk Labour History Group website]
| |
| − | *[http://labhist.tripod.com Unofficial history website]
| |
| − | *[http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour Guardian Unlimited Politics—Special Report: Labour Party]
| |
| − | *[http://www.newstin.co.uk/uk/labour-party Labour Party aggregated news (multilingual)]
| |
| − |
| |
| − | {{UK Labour Party}}
| |
| − | {{British political parties}}
| |
| − |
| |
| − | [[Category:Politics and social sciences]]
| |
| − | [[Category:Politics]]
| |
| − |
| |
| − |
| |
| − | {{credits|255401136}}
| |
