Labour Representation League

This article is about the British labour group. For the Canadian political party, see Alberta Labor Representation League.

The Labour Representation League (LRL), organised in November 1869, was a forerunner of the British Labour Party. Its original purpose was to register the working class to vote, and get workers into Parliament.[1] It had limited power, described by Eugenio Biagini as being "very weak and quite ineffective",[2] and was never intended to become a full political party. However, it played a role in supporting the election of Lib-Lab MPs. The first secretary was Cooperative Society activist and trade unionist, Lloyd Jones.[3]

In 1874, the League won two parliamentary seats.[4]

In 1886, the TUC created the Labour Electoral Association to replace the League; in turn, this led to the creation of the Labour Party.[4]

  1. ^ Owen, James (2014). Labour and the Caucus: Working-class Radicalism and Organised Liberalism in England, 1868-88. Oxford University Press. p. 37. ISBN 9781846319440. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  2. ^ Biagini, Eugenio F. (2004). Liberty, Retrenchment and Reform: Popular Liberalism in the Age of Gladstone, 1860-1880. Cambridge University Press. p. 340. ISBN 9780521548861. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  3. ^ Bauman, Zygmunt, Between Class and Elite: The Evolution British Labour Movement, Manchester University Press, 1972, p.108
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference bbc-2000 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).