Keir Hardie was a self educated, working class, socialist, who was the driving force behind the creation of the ILP (Independent Labour Party) in 1893. He was also chairman of the labour party in 1906 when there was 29 MP’s elected. He was too a supporter of women’s suffrage. His weak point however was his organisational skills, which he lacked considerably, but it is not to be mistaken that he was not a hardworking and decent man.

Ramsay MacDonald was a dedicated member of the Fabians, and also had a poor background. He was the first secretary of the LRC (Labour Representation Committee), and the first Labour Prime Minister. He was elected to a Leicester constituency in 1906.

Arthur Henderson was also a man who played a big part in the ‘journey’ of the Labour party. He was originally an iron moulder who became the secretary of the Iron Moulders Society. He gained government experience as a liberal councillor, and was later

The Reform Act changed everything about politics. The thirty percent of the population who were living in poverty, and the working class (mostly included in thirty percent) could finally vote in general elections. As the LRC represented the working class they now stood a chance of gaining a lot of support. As workers would join the unions, they would swing towards the LRC, who are part of the unions. Plus they can generate funds from people joining the trade unions, as the trade unions fund the LRC. Also agricultural workers started to vote more radically after the decline of their industry.

All these different socialist groups’ ideas were brought forward into one party.

This thirty percent of the whole population was just waiting for a party that could stand up for them. (Bearing in mind when the working class do get the vote, it is only the men).

The LRC (Labour Representation Committee) was formed in 1900 as a result of initiative from Trade Union Congress (TUC). In 1899 it agreed to make a conference to plan for labour representation in parliament. This conference formed a committee to work out how to go about creating a party.

Unemployment was becoming a problem, as the population was outgrowing its capacity of jobs. Housing also became a problem, and ‘slums’ were where most working class people lived. A survey taken by Charles Booth showed that thirty percent of the population was living in poverty.

The Dockers strike started off a minor pay dispute in the West Indian Docks that rapidly spread to London. There was no job security, and they were poorly paid. They were getting paid 5d an hour, and wanted that increased to 6d. They gained huge sympathy from the public, and the union got £30,000 funding from an Australian trade union. The Dockers went on marches through London to gain support. The Dockers won the court case and got their desired pay increas

Some topics in this essay:
Indian Docks, Keir Hardie, MacDonald’s Labour, Reform Act, USA Germany, House Lords, Labour Party, Charles Booth, Congress TUC, Blackpool Unemployment, labour party, trade unions, trade union, thirty percent, keir hardie, late nineteenth century, late nineteenth, nineteenth century, labour representation, percent population, lrc unions, thirty percent population, ilp independent labour, independent labour party, ‘new model’ unions,