English History (Labour Party) Flashcards

1
Q

At first lib-lab leaders were opposed to..?

A

socialist influences in the TUC

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2
Q

8 reasons for growing union attitude changes?

A

1) New unions (unlike miners that always voted Liberal) - new ones had more unskiled members
union officials wanted better parlimentary representation for working-class
1900- >2 million membership
Rate of labour councils grew > more than rate of lib-lab Mps
2) Multi-coperations e.g road/gas companies meant town councils emplying more people> more people on labour councils.
3)Unions increasingly expected favourable legislation e.g. better pay
4) Government not helping them e.g banning picketing
5) Setback for unions- Taff Vale 1899 banned uinions right to strike-employers made federations to rise agaisnt unions (defeat for workers)- damage liabiltiy of funds/had to pay for damages due to industrial action
6) Lack fo sympathy in Parliment- mainly Conservatives/ number of Lib-Lab MPs was 13 in 1892 election and 1898- 11
7) Annoyance with Liberals-reluctance to back unions/ > 600 labour councils (small number of Lib-Lab MPs.
8) DIvisions in Liberal Party- Chamberlain -joined Conservatves agaisnt home Rule/ previusly encouraged workers to join Liberal > now Conservative. Labour were attractive with welfare reform.

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3
Q

Hardie’s problems?

A

> 1898- memebership declined

Struggle between moe socialist (SDF) and those against socialism (like Hardie)

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4
Q

The formation of the LRC?

A

conference- 1899- get better represntation
passed by a narrow majority
Fabiens/SDF/ILP/some trade unionists

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5
Q

LRC members/manifesto?

A

success- managed to resolve class war (SDF) and the desire to limit parlimentary action of workign class MPs (TU)
own party with own whips and policy
\strogn support from TU
not SOCIALST but socialistic (sympathetic to socialist aims but not nationilsing industry)
open to allaince with Liberals

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6
Q

Hardie and MacDionals drew up proposal saying what?

A
  • unions could run and pay for candidates

- unions had to agree on candidates standign independat from other parties (LRC-commitee)

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7
Q

Confference was a sucess?

A
sorted the class war 'socialistic'
own whips/policy
co-operate with any party that agree with them]
7 Trade union delegates
2 SDF
2 ILP
1 Fabien
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8
Q

The ILP was the part to push th hardest for

A

an independant parlimentary party

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9
Q

Conference was in.. ?

A

1899

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10
Q

Many ILP emmebrs were..?

A
  • former Luiberals
  • Christian (socialism heavily infleunced by it)
  • trade union experiance
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11
Q

1900- LRC was..?

A

weak - 17% of TU/ SDF withdrew/ Co-operative movement never joined/

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12
Q

1900 election…LRC won?

A

2 candidates- working-class people more voted for them as due to horror at Boer War (Conservatives) , annoyance with LIberals (agreeing to Taff Vale- 1899)

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13
Q

1902..?

A

By-election gains 3 seats

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14
Q

1903- Constitutional chanegs and?

A

annual subscirtion rate was raised
Lib-Lab Pact- Liberals would not oppose LRC candidates where they were mroe likely to wi than COnservatives/LRC wold reduce number of candidates elswhere

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15
Q

Why did Liberal agree to a pact [7 reasons]

A

fear of splitting progressive vote- 3 way contest - Conservatives winning by default
growth in support for LRC- Glastone took them more seriously
Leader -Gkadstone was more radical than other liberals
MacDonals- moderate -right-wing Liberals saw no problem with allying themselves with him
LRC appeal to working-class conservatives-
moderate strand (Hardie)- w. class Liebrals
radical strand Lansbury)- w. Conservatives
Common causes i.e. free trade
Money - save money not fighting LRC

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16
Q

1906 election..

A

50 candidates- won 29 seats- 1 MP joined to make 30 seats.
independant party- own whips- renamed ‘The Labour Party
Henderson and MacDonald

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17
Q

1905 conference,, unions could be afiliated tp..?

A

beofre, local LRC’s weren’t affiliated to national LRC

resolved - unions could be affiliate to natinal LRC (70-100 branches joine dby 1906 election)

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18
Q

Labour manifesto was too ?

A

vague- just an appealf ro Labour members

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19
Q

Idealogy wasn

A

coherent- most memebrs were socialsit altough the parrty wasn’t.
supported redistributing property but more interested in immediate benefits for TU like better pay, less hours, onflcut between socialists and those just wanted TU benefits

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20
Q

Problems with the Labour Party-

A

limited education- none of them had exoeriance in parliment
ILP socialists/TU officials - didn’t liek the Lib0Lab leaders
Leaders- Hardie - charasmatic/good atrallying supoort
Henderson -chief whip- snesible
1911- MacDonald became chief whip (organised)
Henderson - became secretary- patience to forge a cohesive parrty but he was too close with the Liberals

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21
Q

Osbourne Judgement (1909)?

A

LAbour MPs weren’t paid by state
supported by unions (told t was illegal for them to force members to pay political levy)
1911- finally paid £4000 a year
1913- Trade Union Act- reveresed Taff Vale

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22
Q

Problem with Osbourne Judgement?

A

didn’t ahve money to fight two electron in Jan 1910 and Dec 1910 (more depedant on Liberal)o

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23
Q

1906 electrion

A

Liberals won by a landslide ( labour were ignored)- only 30 MPs

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24
Q

Two 1910 elections?

A

Jan 1910 electron - Liberals- 274/ Conservatves - 272 Labour only got 40 seats
balance of power was held with the irish nationilists (voted Lberals in return for Home Rule

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25
Q

New Liberalism problem for Labour?

A

idea of a ‘safety net’ fr those most vunerale in society stole Labour’s thnder
opposed it - extremists (socialists)
agreed- they were ignored.

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26
Q

Lack of electroal progress in general elections by Labour?

A

-1906- 30 Mps
-1909- MFGB affiliated 12 MPs (number was artificialyl inflated)- 42 Mps
-Jan 1910 election- lost five seats > 37 Mps
-Dec 1910 election - roughyl the same
1914- said to have 42 at Westminster- this was more apparent than real
no major breakthrough- probabyl had more infleunce un 1906 than in 1914

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27
Q

Labour succeses?

A

Did infleuce soem social reforms
Trade Disoutes Act 1906- Campbel-Bannerman chose Labour draft
School Meals Act 1906- inhsoired by Labour Mp William Wilson
Medical Inspections Act 1907- Directly put in secret clause by RObert Mormant

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28
Q

Why did Labour Mps start getting paid in 1911?

A

labour agreed to support national insurance (Liberal needed Labour vote) in return for salary

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29
Q

Growing support for trade unions

A

1909- MFGB switched from Lb-Lab to labour bought 12 additional MPs.
increased union memebership
industrial conflict and strikes encouraged more support for an indeendant labour party.

30
Q

Electoral prgress?

A

fluctuated > 1906
by-electron losses from 1910-14 (no oposition to make a challenge by ww1)
Some though they failed to appeal tovpoor )social elites undermined working-class)

31
Q

Developments at local level?

A

net gain if seats every year in local elections 1900-1913
England and Wales rose form 91 to 171 (1913)
Social reform was maore distinct than that of its rival at national level
stated to take over Liberals at local level (varied from place to place)

32
Q

MFGB boght..?

A

500,000 new members (as well as 12Mps)
As Trade union memebrship increased so adid labour memebrship
majority voted for estsblishing politicial funds
local level0- memebrship more than doubled/ affiliated to labour local parties increased

33
Q

Support from women?

A

establoshed links with NUWSS
Key figure: Geroge Lansbury
Katherine Bruce Hasier- used socialism to oush fr women’s suffrage
1911 - Labour supported it

34
Q

Party organisation?

A

MacDonald- organised/ more effective
(chair- 1911)
Trade Union Act- more money to emply candiadtes/senior staff
Before WW

35
Q

Before WW1 Labour seemed to be preparing to cntest for..?

A

150 seats

36
Q

Were Liberals threatened by Labour

Lib-Lab Pact prioved they migh be?

A

Howver, in 1903 LRC was a small party wth little experiance whereas Libverals were a huge parry with loads of experiance
The pact was signed more to prevent Conservative win

37
Q

Liberals threated: speech about new liberalsim in 1904

A

New liberalsim orginated in the 1880’s

LRC- wasn’t their idea

38
Q

LIberals threatened: 53 working-class mps - 30 of them affiliated to labour after 1906?

A

other 23 were affiliated to Liberals
Liberals still had a massive majority
All the major trade unions were still affiliated to Liberal

39
Q

3 reforms the Labour did bring in: Liberals threatened?

A

These 3 were hardly big reofrms wit big reulsts like National Insurance or Old Age Pensions
After Liberals adopted new liberalism approach- Labour introduced no others.
1906- Liberal governemt was more tender

40
Q

1906-14 TU membership increased from..?

A

900,000 > 1,500,000

41
Q

Labour MPs in government?

A
42 MPs at westminster
Henderson- Asquith's coalition
MacDonald resigned due to pacifist views
Henderson- Lloyd George's war cabinet
8 other labour ministers to differnet posts- gave them experiance
42
Q

Trade uinions in wartime?

A

governemtn tried to persuade avoiding strkes, encouraging conscritption > gave them increased bargaining powerr

43
Q

Reasons why Labour Party didn’t split in wartime?

A

1) MacDonald- resigned/ got abuse like cocnhies did but handled it ina dignified wayt hat earned him respect/ returned as leader> war
Henderson didnm’t expel party emembers hat oppsoed the war
Oppotiona nd supports of war agreed uin helonig workler’s rghts/protecting them
Those who oppose it didn’t actively campaign agaisnt it

44
Q

The 1918 constitution and clause IV created by henderson was..?

A

individual memebers can join local parties
national executive- increased to 20 memners
11 TU, 4 women, i treasurer, 5 from local parties
NEC to be ekected anually
committment to claus IV

45
Q

What was clause IV and why was it controversial?

A

Workers should enjoy the fruits of their industry
implied they were committed to socialisma dn nationiluisng industry
Closer it actually is vague and mainly says about equal distribution and people being allowed to benefit.

46
Q

Who did Henderson draw up the new priogramme with?

A

Sydney Webb, Fabien

47
Q

What did the new programme include:?

A
  • srplus wealth to be sued for common good
  • Nationilsing key industries
  • Minimum wage
  • Higher taxes on rich (progressive taxation)
48
Q

General election Nov 1922?

A

Labour fought as a single party (63 votes increased to 142 from 1918-22)
Cinsevativeswon majority wuth 330/Liberals- nly 28
Bonar Law retired> Baldwin decided to follow policy of protectionism

49
Q

What happened in the Dec 1923 election?

A

Conservatives retianed majority with 258

but Liberals and Labour both AGAINST protectionism and so togeher outweighted Conservatives (Labour- 191/Liberals -158)

50
Q

What happened in Jan 1924?

A

Baldwin retired
As the largest pro-free trade party LAbour could forma governement with the Liberals not voting against them in any of the votes

51
Q

What were MacDonald’s problems in forming s governement?

A

Left-wing thought capitalist society would limit them/wanted MacDonald to introcuce a radical, socialist priogramme, rally lots of support/hope for a massive majority so they could introudce as many reforms as possible before they inevitably got voted out

52
Q

What did MacDonald do in governement?

A

MacDonald didn’t want to scare peopel/ followed a mdoerate stance. Needed to rpove to people LAbour was fit to govern and to stop worries of a Russian style revoltuoon. HE wanted to gove senior members experiance of governement

53
Q

What reforms did the Labour Governemtn introdice while in government?

A
  • Unemplyment- just hoped trade woi=uld revive
  • State Scholarships unbanned (undoing Geddes Axe
  • Housign Act- increased funding tio local authorities- 520,000 new houses built
  • Industrial Unrest- miners strikes still ocntinued- didn’t liek MaDonald (he was prepared to sue force)
  • Increased benefits of pensions slightly
54
Q

MacDonald’s succeses as Foreign secretary?

A

Dawes plan- franco-german relations improoved- stability to europe
Geneva protocol- cmmittment to disarm/collective security
Soviet relations- gave diplomatic recognition to USSR/ scared people/gave Russia £30 million loan in return for compensation if assests seiized by USSR in Bolshvik revoltuion

55
Q

What was the Campbell case

A

Campbell (editor) allowed an article to eb publlished that encouraged workers to rise up in a revoltion /Attorney-general prosecuted them/He dropped the case/\Conservatives and Liberals complained of left-wing interference and demanded a poliical enquiry. Labour said to resign if commons voted for it which they did and the first |Labour govermement came to an end.

56
Q

It resulted in another general election in..?

A

Oct 1924

57
Q

What was the Zinoviev Letter? _ days before Oct 1924 election?

A

4 days before
Daily Mail published letter from Bolshevik leader to communist party of Great Britain, calling for them to urge a revolution and infiltrate the Labour Party.
Conservatives used this to put doubt about the Labour Party (now believed it was fake)

58
Q

Oct 1924 election results?

A

Conservative- 419/Liberal- 40/Labour-151

59
Q

Other factors shwoing Labour’s limited infleunce in parliment?

A

-Campbell-Bannerman CHOSE to choose Labour’s draft over Liberals.
MacDonald’s ‘right to work’ reform was rejected y Asquith, highlighting their limtis
Reforms were more about Lloyd George’s passion/need to reform England than labour
Osbourne Judgemetn wasn’t overturned until 1913- showed the Liuberals didn’t care it was crippling Labour
Irish Nationilists who held the power after 1911
Not until 1918 electoral reform (all men some women w. class could vote) that Labour became a threat

60
Q

Role of Labour in Liberal reforms was…?

A

extremely limited.

1) Onyl 3 reforms (not major) before Liberals adopted new liberalism
2) before emergence of Churchill and Lloyd George, who passed most reform between them
3) It would ahev happened anyway>improve Britain
4) With each reform, lsbour became less significant

61
Q

Why did Labour decide to stand alone in the coupon election Dec 1918?

A
  • had exeriance of Parliment (in Lloyd George’s war cabinet)
  • healthy fiancial state due to growth in trade unionism (voted to establish political funds)
  • wanted to test their increased electorates
62
Q

Dec 1918 election

A

coaltion conservatives = 335
coalition liberals = 133
Labour - 63 (increased from 42 in Dec 1910)- because mostly becuas eit put up candidates in constituencies it ahd not previosuly contested.

63
Q

The threat of Labour in the Dec 1918 election was ..?

A

neutrilised

64
Q

Policies during the war from Labour..?

A

-Most against wars that boosted imeprialism and used workers as a means to an end. SO the Labour party split when most accepted war after the invasion of Belgium (pacifist views) and after conscription (using workers as a means to an end). However, oppositiona nd supporters DIDN’T actively campaign against hr war
Increased state control means nationilsing of industries which fit in with Labour

65
Q

Labour in Asquith coalition?

A

Needed trade union support > needed Labour politicians

66
Q

Labour in Lloyd George coaltion?

A

Henderson in war cabient/8 other ministers to importnant posts

67
Q

Labour after war?

A
Henderson resigned (banned from socialist confernece)
Became secretary/ MacDonald leader/chief whip again >reunited the Labour party
Drew up new constitution
68
Q

Clause IV?

A

Was socialist but was vague so they didn’t actually intend to do anything socialist.
Appeal to w. class /socialsits?

69
Q

War aims: peace/democracy?

A

League fo Nations- encouraged high-profile Liberal Ms to join Labour

70
Q

War aims of League of Nations ect meant…?
Labour was now largest opponent in..?
Trad eunion membership grew from 2.5 million in 1915 to..?

A

Internationilsit foreign policy atracted radicla liberal mps
House of commons
3.5 million in 1919