Scottish Labour Party (1888-1893)
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Labour Party (SLP), also known as the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party, was formed by Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham, the first socialist MP
in the parliament of the United Kingdom
, who later went on to become the first president of the Scottish National Party
, and Keir Hardie
, who later became the first leader of the Labour Party (UK)
.
The initial spur for the party's foundation was Hardie's unsuccessful independent Labour candidature in the Mid Lanarkshire by-election, 1888
. He had tried and failed to gain Liberal Party
support for his candidature, and the experience convinced many of his fellow miners of the need for an independent party representing the interests of labour. The cause also appealed to some radicals, and his movement gained the support of the Dundee
Radical Association. Like many of the party's initial members, Hardie had previously been involved in the Scottish Land Restoration League
.
A preliminary meeting was held in Glasgow in May, and a foundation conference was held on 25 August. This was chaired by Cunninghame Graham, while other attendees included Irish nationalist politician John Ferguson, crofter John Murdoch, land reformer Shaw Maxwell and miners' leader Robert Smillie
. However, the organised socialist movement was not initially involved; both the Social Democratic Federation
and the Socialist League
boycotted the event. The diverse factions had very different perspectives on the party's future, but were able to agree a programme, largely based on a draft by Hardie.
Hardie became the party's Secretary, while George Mitchell was the first Treasurer and Cunninghame Graham was the President.
R B Cunninghame Graham, a strong supporter of Scottish independence
, was the party's main MP, for the North West Lanarkshire constituency, between his defection from the Liberal Party
in 1888 and his defeat in the United Kingdom general election
1892, in the Glasgow Camlachie
constituency. Two other MPs, Gavin Clark and Charles Conybeare
, held honorary offices in the party until January 1893. Following their departure, with many of the other radicals, the party declared itself in favour of socialism
, and prohibited officials (but not other members) from dual membership with other political parties. The party ran two other candidates in 1892: J. Bennett Burleigh in Glasgow Tradeston
and James MacDonald
in Dundee
. Attempts by Cunninghame Graham and Shaw Maxwell to arrange a non-contest pact with the Liberals failed, and the SLP candidates did not poll well.
The party initially supported Henry Hyde Champion
's trades council movement, but became concerned when it formed the Scottish United Trades Councils Labour Party
under the secretaryship of Chisholm Robertson, presenting itself as a potential rival to the Scottish Labour Party. However, Champion's movement soon faded, while it did serve to move some trades councils to a position supporting independent labour candidates, and closer co-operation with the Scottish Labour Party.
In 1894, Hardie became President of the new Independent Labour Party
(ILP), and the vast majority of Scottish Labour Party members supported him. In early 1895 the SLP dissolved itself into the ILP.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in the parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, who later went on to become the first president of the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
, and Keir Hardie
Keir Hardie
James Keir Hardie, Sr. , was a Scottish socialist and labour leader, and was the first Independent Labour Member of Parliament elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
, who later became the first leader of the Labour Party (UK)
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
The initial spur for the party's foundation was Hardie's unsuccessful independent Labour candidature in the Mid Lanarkshire by-election, 1888
Mid Lanarkshire by-election, 1888
The Mid Lanarkshire by-election, 1888 was a parliamentary by-election held on 27 April 1888 for the British House of Commons constituency of Mid Lanarkshire.- Previous MP :...
. He had tried and failed to gain Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
support for his candidature, and the experience convinced many of his fellow miners of the need for an independent party representing the interests of labour. The cause also appealed to some radicals, and his movement gained the support of the Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
Radical Association. Like many of the party's initial members, Hardie had previously been involved in the Scottish Land Restoration League
Scottish Land Restoration League
The Scottish Land Restoration League was a Georgist political party in Scotland.In the 1880s, enclosure was still in process in the Scottish Highlands, and resistance to it often received support from radicals around Britain and Ireland...
.
A preliminary meeting was held in Glasgow in May, and a foundation conference was held on 25 August. This was chaired by Cunninghame Graham, while other attendees included Irish nationalist politician John Ferguson, crofter John Murdoch, land reformer Shaw Maxwell and miners' leader Robert Smillie
Robert Smillie
Robert Smillie was a trade unionist and Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.-Biography:Born into the city of Belfast, the second son of John Smillie a Scottish Crofter. Until into his adult years he spelt his name as Smellie; he spelt it like this even on his wedding certificate in 1878...
. However, the organised socialist movement was not initially involved; both the Social Democratic Federation
Social Democratic Federation
The Social Democratic Federation was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on June 7, 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury and Eleanor Marx. However, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx's long-term...
and the Socialist League
Socialist League (UK, 1885)
The Socialist League was an early revolutionary socialist organisation in the United Kingdom. The organisation began as a dissident offshoot of the Social Democratic Federation of Henry Hyndman at the end of 1884. Never an ideologically harmonious group, by the 1890s the group had turned from...
boycotted the event. The diverse factions had very different perspectives on the party's future, but were able to agree a programme, largely based on a draft by Hardie.
Hardie became the party's Secretary, while George Mitchell was the first Treasurer and Cunninghame Graham was the President.
R B Cunninghame Graham, a strong supporter of Scottish independence
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
, was the party's main MP, for the North West Lanarkshire constituency, between his defection from the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
in 1888 and his defeat in the United Kingdom general election
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
1892, in the Glasgow Camlachie
Glasgow Camlachie (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Camlachie was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1955.It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:...
constituency. Two other MPs, Gavin Clark and Charles Conybeare
Charles Conybeare
Charles Augustus Vansittart Conybeare was an English barrister and a radical Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1895....
, held honorary offices in the party until January 1893. Following their departure, with many of the other radicals, the party declared itself in favour of socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, and prohibited officials (but not other members) from dual membership with other political parties. The party ran two other candidates in 1892: J. Bennett Burleigh in Glasgow Tradeston
Glasgow Tradeston (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Tradeston was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1955. It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:...
and James MacDonald
James MacDonald (trade unionist)
-Life:Born in Edinburgh, MacDonald trained as a tailor and moved to London in 1881. He joined the Central Marylebone Democratic Association and the Manhood Suffrage League, but it was reading Friedrich Engels' articles in the Labour Standard that convinced him of socialism. As a result, he joined...
in Dundee
Dundee (UK Parliament constituency)
Dundee was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1950, when it was split into Dundee East and Dundee West....
. Attempts by Cunninghame Graham and Shaw Maxwell to arrange a non-contest pact with the Liberals failed, and the SLP candidates did not poll well.
The party initially supported Henry Hyde Champion
Henry Hyde Champion
Henry Hyde Champion was a socialist journalist and activist, regarded as one of the leading spirits behind the formation of the Independent Labour Party...
's trades council movement, but became concerned when it formed the Scottish United Trades Councils Labour Party
Scottish United Trades Councils Labour Party
The Scottish United Trades Councils Labour Party, also known as the Scottish Trades Councils Independent Labour Party, was a Scottish labour party....
under the secretaryship of Chisholm Robertson, presenting itself as a potential rival to the Scottish Labour Party. However, Champion's movement soon faded, while it did serve to move some trades councils to a position supporting independent labour candidates, and closer co-operation with the Scottish Labour Party.
In 1894, Hardie became President of the new Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
(ILP), and the vast majority of Scottish Labour Party members supported him. In early 1895 the SLP dissolved itself into the ILP.