The Labour Party is a political party that comprises an alliance of social democrats, moderate socialists and trade unionists across the UK. As of 2017, Labour had the largest membership of any party (512,000) in Western Europe.[1]
History
1900s
The party was formed by trade unions who wished to capture control of the state in order to improve the position of the UK working class in a period of high poverty, poor working conditions and the Long Depression which brutally hit the working class. First came the Indepedent Labour Party, ten the Labour Representation Committee (who refused to adopt the politics of class struggle), and finally the Labour Party in the 1906 election.
1910s
The Labour Party supported Britain's participation in World War I just three days after it broke out, despite being part of the Second International, which was supposed to be anti-war. Labour Party members joined a coalition government and collaborate with the introduction of conscription, deskilling of industry and strikebreaking. In 1918 they adopted a new 'socialist' constitution, inspired by the Russian Revolution, calling for common ownership of industry and the full value of labor towards laborers.
1920s
The Labour Party gained power for a few months in 1923, but a good sign of just how much they intended to do, and how clear their attachment to socialist principles was can be seen from the following. JH Thomas, Union leader and MP, was appointed to the Colonial Office. He introduced himself to his departmental heads with the statement: ‘I’m here to see there is no mucking about with the British Empire.’ In 1924 the Labour Party destroyed a strike by dockworkers and railway workers by threatening to invoke a state of emergency across the country. They also saw the rearmament of the navy, murder of indigenous Iraqis by bombings and shooting of strikers in India.
1930s
Following the Great Depression, the Labour Party formed a coalition with other parties that oversaw reduction in wages and the welfare state. With the outbreak of World War II, the Labour Party helped pass the Emergency Power Bill which gave the government to power to control all person's and property. They helped break wartime strikes and gave no aid to workers who now had to face increased prices, harder work and lower living standards.
1940s
The Labour Party won the 1945 election by a huge majority and complete control of the government. The Labour Party nationalised great amounts of industry, notably coal production, railways, gas, electricity, iron, steels and the Bank of England (notably unprofitable industries, and Bank of England stockholders were guaranteed a 12% dividend on investments under state ownerships). Additionally, they introduced the National Health Service, a system of free healthcare for British citizens and other expansions of the welfare state. These measures were done to stop a revolution after the war, as well as the creation of a healthier and more compliant working class (howevers, certain treatments had payments introduced in 1949). Post-war strikes were broken up by the army directed by the Labour Party.
1950s
In 1951, the Labour Party introduced charges on glasses and false teeth within the NHS. The Labour Party also oversaw the construction of nuclear weapons, did nothing to stop the rising of living costs by 30% and that workers should exercise restraint and not ask for pay rises. Wartime rationing was kept in place, which ensured that money was spent not on consumption but on investment. The Labour Party lost the 1951 election, and remained out of government for 13 years.
1960s
The Labour Party won the 1964 election, and oversaw falling wages and increasing living costs through devlauing the pound and austerity measures such as introducing NHS prescription charges, getting rid of free milk in secondary schools, taxes on goods and exchange controls preventing people taking too much money on holidays out of the country (which the rich evaded). Strikes in protest of these measures were fought with the 'White Paper' which asked unions to police their members. In 1968, the racist regime of Kenya attempted to kick out thousands of Asians (many of whom had British passports). The Labour Party passed the Commonwealth Immigrants Act which stopped most of them coming to Britain. They also support the US in the Vietnam War and the construction of nuclear submarines.
1970s
Following the miners strike of 1974, the Labour Party gained power. They started by introducing massive pay freezes to combat inflation, which was extremely unpopular and led to wildcat strikes. They created a scheme which relied on trade unions to stop strikes, but this failed and inflation, poverty and unemployment soared. They then took loans from the IMF and cut funding to healthcare and education. Striking workers were replaced by scab soldiers, increased the presence of soldiers in Northern Ireland (inciting tensions in the area) and improving their nuclear submarines. The Winter of Discontent finally forced the Labour Party out, where it has remained in opposition ever since.
1980s
In 1982, the 'pacifist' Labour Party leader Michael Foot enthusiastically supported British intervention in the Falklands War. During miners strike in 1984 and 1985 the Labour Party and large trade unions tried to end the strike, condemning mass picketing and insisting other groups not come out in solidarity.
1990s
In 1992, the Labour Party proudly stated that they had prosecuted more people for non-payment of the Poll Tax.[2]