British and Irish History

The Oxford Companion to British History A Dictionary of British History Further reading

Lib-Labs

The Oxford Companion to British History | 2002 | | Copyright

Lib-Labs were working-class MPs who, whilst prepared to speak out on ‘labour’ issues, accepted the Liberal whip. In 1874, Thomas Burt ( Morpeth) and Alexander Macdonald ( Stafford) became the first two such MPs. In constituencies where union members (chiefly miners) predominated, Liberal associations were often coaxed into nominating them, although William Abraham (‘Mabon’) at Rhondda in 1885 had first to defeat a Liberal employer. That election produced 11 Lib-Labs, but their numbers stagnated thereafter, except at the 1906 ‘Liberal landslide’ when 24 were elected. The appointment of Henry Broadhurst to the 1886 government reflected Gladstone's appreciation of the Lib-Labs' loyalty; however the leadership during the 1890s was frustrated by the reluctance of impoverished local associations to adopt Lib-Lab candidates. The decision of the miners to join the Labour Party in 1908 dealt a fatal blow to the Lib-Lab creed, notwithstanding the handful of Liberal working-class MPs who persisted until 1918.

Stuart Carter

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

JOHN CANNON. "Lib-Labs." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN CANNON. "Lib-Labs." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-LibLabs.html

JOHN CANNON. "Lib-Labs." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-LibLabs.html

Learn more about citation styles

Lib‐Labs

A Dictionary of British History | 2004 | | Copyright

Lib‐Labs were working‐class MPs who, whilst prepared to speak out on ‘labour’ issues, accepted the Liberal whip. In 1874, Thomas Burt ( Morpeth) and Alexander Macdonald ( Stafford) became the first two such MPs. The decision of the miners to join the Labour Party in 1908 dealt a fatal blow to the Lib‐Lab creed, notwithstanding the handful of Liberal working‐class MPs who persisted until 1918.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

JOHN CANNON. "Lib‐Labs." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN CANNON. "Lib‐Labs." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-LibLabs.html

JOHN CANNON. "Lib‐Labs." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-LibLabs.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Rough old ride for the Lib-Labs.(News) Newspaper article from: The Mirror (London, England); 4/24/2003
	When the Liberals were the reformers; Chris Game looks at the historical... Newspaper article from: The Birmingham Post (England); 2/17/2006
	Local council elections could be a watershed.(News) Newspaper article from: The Birmingham Post (England); 5/3/1999