The Labour Party

Question 1

When was the LRC established?

Answer 1

27th February 1900

Question 2

Who was head of the LRC and who was secretary?

Answer 2

Kier Hardie, Ramsay MacDonald was secretary

Question 3

When was the ILP formed?

Answer 3

In 1893 by Kier Hardie at a conference in Bradford.

Question 4

What were the ILP’s key ideas?

Answer 4

Trade unionism, workers’ rights and radical liberalism

Question 5

When was the SDF formed/ what was it?

Answer 5

It was the 1st Marxist organisation in Britain, founded in 1881 by Henry Hyndman.

Question 6

What was the SDF’s key ideas?

Answer 6

Overthrowing capitalism for an overt socialist programme

Question 7

When did the SDF leave the LRC?

Answer 7

1901- it was seen as too radical for trade unionists

Question 8

When was the Fabian Society formed?

Answer 8

4th January 1884 by intellectual, middle-class socialists

Question 9

What were the Fabian Society’s key ideals?

Answer 9

Gradual reform, not revolutionary or radical.

Question 10

What were the Trade Union’s key ideas?

Answer 10

Wanted to protect workers’ rights, improve pay and working conditions, but were against socialism.

Question 11

How many members/ funding did the Trade Unions have by 1900?

Answer 11

2 million members and 3m in funding

Question 12

In 1903 how many trade unions/ members were affiliated by the LRC?

Answer 12

168 unions and 853,000 members

Question 13

How did the ‘Lib-Lab’ pact influence the Labour party’s development?

Answer 13

24/29 of the labour party’s seats were gained from the pact- gave the party the breakthrough they needed as they now had a foothold in parliament

Question 14

What was the ‘Lib-Lab’ pact?

Answer 14

An informal agreement between Gladstone and MacDonald, with free uncontested election in 30 constituencies.

Question 15

When did the LRC officially become the Labour Party?

Answer 15

15th February 1906, after their election gains.

Question 16

How did The Education Act 1906 show Labour’s influence in gov?

Answer 16

Labour MP Fred Jowett brought forward the Private Members Bill to government0 argued that if the state insisted on compulsory education then it must provide for pupils.

Question 17

How was the Education Act 1906 funded?

Answer 17

It was funded by an additional half-rate in the pound

Question 18

What did a report in 1889 show?

Answer 18

Over 50,000 pupils in London alone were in “need of food”

Question 19

When was the Education Provision of Meals Act introduced?

Answer 19

21st December 1906, however was only made compulsory in 1911 so only 1/3 of children benefitted

Question 20

How was Labour’s influence seen in the Trade Disputes Act 1906?

Answer 20

It reversed the Taff Vale Judgement of 1901- the liberals had proposed a bill with only partial protection , but labour responded with full immunity, which Campbell-Bannerman agreed to.

Question 21

How was Labour’s influence in the Liberal Government limited?

Answer 21

Unemployed Workmen Bill of 1907 was proposed by Labour on 7th July 1907, but was rejected by Liberals

Question 22

What did the Unemployed Workmen’s Bill of 1907 propose?

Answer 22

That local authorities would be held responsible for creating work opportunities.

Question 23

When was the Osborne Judgement introduced?

Answer 23

21st December 1909

Question 24

What was the Osborne Judgement?

Answer 24

Trade Unions could no longer use levy for political purposes- specifically meant the subscriptions paid to trade unions for the development of the Labour Party were illegal.

Question 25

What was the significance of the Osborne Judgement?

Answer 25

Created a financial bottleneck at a pivotal point for Labour - party could no longer invest in candidates to put forward in parliament.

Question 26

In January 1910 how many seats did labour put up/win?

Answer 26

January 1910- put up 78, won 45 seats.

Question 27

In December 1910 how many seats did labour put up/win?

Answer 27

December 1910- put up56 seats, won 42 seats.

Question 28

What was the Great Unrest?

Answer 28

With Labour weakened and its political representation under attack, workers had lost faith in gradual reform through parliament, and instead turned to ‘direct action’ in a wave of strikes between 1910-1914.

Question 29

How had TU membership increased between 1910-1914?

Answer 29

Membership had risen from 2.5m in 1910 to 4m in 1914.

Question 30

How many strikes were there between 1910-1914?

Answer 30

3000

Question 31

How many strikes happened in 1912 alone?

Answer 31

1200

Question 32

When/where was the 1st major confrontation?

Answer 32

8th November 1910 in Tonypandy, South Wales- where coal miners smashed windows of business to protest against low wages- 1 died.

Question 33

What % of the industrial population were involved in strikes by 1911 compared to before?

Answer 33

9%, only 2.9% between 1902-11

Question 34

What strike happened in June 1911?

Answer 34

Liverpool General Transport Strike, where 85,000 workers were violently protesting, 2 died.

Question 35

Which strike began in early march 1912 and ended 6th April?

Answer 35

The National Miners Strike, with around 1 million striking.

Question 36

When was the Coal Mines Act introduced?

Answer 36

29th March 1912

Question 37

What did the Coal Mines Act give?

Answer 37

Workers a minimum wage of 6s 6d a day

Question 38

By 1913 what % of workers were members of a trade Union?

Answer 38

25%

Question 39

When was the Dubliner lockout?

Answer 39

August 26th 1913 -Jan 18th 1914 ; major industrial dispute involving 20,000 workers and 300 employers

Question 40

How many strikers were there in the first 6 months of 1914?

Answer 40

1000 strikes.

Question 41

How did the Great Unrest aid the downfall of the Labour Party during this period?

Answer 41

Great Unrest exposed the growing dissatisfaction of workers, and alienation of trade unions, Labour’s authority was undermined.

Question 42

How were Labour divided in the beginning of WW1?

Answer 42

Whilst many members adhered to pacifist principles; others held strong patriotic values and sup[ported Britain’;s involvement in the conflict. MacDonald’s resigned as party leader in September 1914 and created his own Union of Democratic Control- first met on 17th November 1914.

Question 43

Why was Labour’s division over ww1 significant in their decline?

Answer 43

It damaged public image, they were seen as unfit for leadership when national unity was most important, thus the party lost momentum and appeared indecisive.