What were the aims of labour in 1906?
- Care of malnourished children
- Help for the aged poor
- Slum clearance, better housing
- Representation of Labour in the H of C
- Decrease tariffs, taxation + cost of war
- Adress poverty gap
- Freedom of trade unions eg. Taff Vale
What were the issues of labour aims in 1906?
They didn’t have a clear set of policies. It was a manifesto -> concerns, not solutions.
What groups did the Labour party consist of?
Trade unions and socialism -> LRC -> Labour party
What made the Liberals and Labours similar?
- Both wanted free trade
- Supported a minimum wage
-> Libs intro. this for a number of low-paid workers 1909 Trade Boards Act + miners after national strike 1912 - Reversal of Taff Vale Decision
-> Lib gov. accepted a Lab MP proposal
1906 Trade Disputes Act
Outline the Lib-Lab pact
1903 - in thirty constituencies, the Labour Party and the Liberal Party would not stand against each other, and thus risk splitting their vote.
What were the differences between the Liberals and Labour?
- Lab wanted 8 hour days but Libs only supported in coal mines (1908) but nowhere else
- Lab wanted nationalisation of mines + railways
- Most Liberal MPs = anti-womens suffrage
What were the strengths of the Labour party 1906-14?
1906 - Labour had 30 MPs who represented the WC b/c they were all in industry and had no background uni degree
1908 - Miners federation of GB joined labour
1910 - 50% of TUC were affiliated with labour = finance
1913 - TU act got funds from TU’s which increased no. of councillors by 100
What were the weaknesses of the Labour party 1906-14?
- Division in aims
eg. most wanted a min. wage to be negotiated - Libs fulfilled goals for them
eg. Lib reforms - Decrease of MP’s in the 1910 elections
- Losing by-elections
Why could Labour take credit for Liberal reforms?
- Provision of meals was introduced by a Labour MP
- The repeal of Taff Vale was also proposed by a Labour MP
- TU act + 1906 Trade Disputes Act
Why couldn’t Labour take credit for Liberal reforms?
- Repeal TV + TU act + Trade Disputes Act all already on the Lib. agenda
- Even cons. agreed nation needed royal commission set up
- Ed.Act 1906 - Balfour already considered
