Labour Party

Labour Party (Britain) A major political party in Britain. Following the third REFORM ACT (1884), a movement developed for direct representation of labour interests in Parliament. In 1889 a Scottish Labour Party was formed, winning three seats in 1892, including one by Keir HARDIE, who in 1893 helped to form the INDEPENDENT LABOUR PARTY, advocating pacifism and SOCIALISM. In 1900 a Labour Representative Committee was formed which in 1906 succeeded in winning 29 seats and changed its name to the Labour Party. In 1918 the Party adopted a constitution drawn up by the Fabian Sidney WEBB. Its main aims were a national minimum wage, democratic control of industry, a revolution in national finance, and surplus wealth for the common good. By 1920 Party membership was over four million. The Party now became a major force in British municipal politics, as well as gaining office with the Liberals in national elections in 1923 and 1929. The Party strongly supported war in 1939 and through such leaders as ATTLEE, BEVIN, and MORRISON played a major role in Winston CHURCHILL's government (1940–45). In 1945 it gained office with an overall majority and continued the programme of WELFARE STATE legislation begun during the war. It was in power 1964–70, when much social legislation was enacted, and 1974–79, when it faced grave financial and economic problems. During the 1970s and early 1980s left-wing activists pressed for a number of procedural changes, for example in the election of Party leader. From the right wing a group of senior party members split from the party in the 1980s to form the Social Democratic Party (see LIBERAL DEMOCRATS). After its defeat in 1987 it embarked, under its leader Neil KINNOCK (1983–92), on a major policy review which recommended more democratic processes and a less ideological approach to foreign affairs and economic problems. However, the party received only 34% of the vote in the general election of 1992. Tony BLAIR, who became leader in 1994, supported private enterprise and promoted many reforms in the party, finally abandoning the ideological union-led principles of ‘Old Labour’ under a more popular and pragmatic manifesto, which gave Labour a landslide victory in the 1997 election. Once in power ‘New Labour’, with an overwhelming majority, set about renewing the country's failing educational system and providing a more positive approach to the country's participation in the European Union.