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{{Short description|
{{pp|reason=Returning indefinite semi-protect after end of EC|small=yes}}
{{use British English|date=January 2020}}
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}}
| youth_wing = [[Young Labour (UK)|Young Labour]]
| womens_wing = Labour Women's Network
| wing2_title = LGBT wing
| wing2 = [[LGBT+ Labour]]
| membership_year = March 2024
| membership = {{decrease}} 366,604<ref name="Membership, March 2024">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/30/labour-membership-falls-by-23000-over-gaza-and-green-policies |title=Labour membership falls by 23,000 over Gaza and green policies |first=Toby |last=Helm |work=The Guardian |date=30 March 2024 |access-date=30 March 2024}}</ref>
| ideology = {{ubl|<!-- Please discuss on talk page before changing. -->
|[[Social democracy]]
}}
| position = [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]
| european = [[Party of European Socialists]]
| international = [[Progressive Alliance]]<br />[[Socialist International]] (observer)
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| affiliation1 = [[Co-operative Party]]<br />([[Labour and Co-operative]]) <br />{{collapsible list|title = Former affiliates:|[[Independent Labour Party]]<br>(1906–1932)||[[British Socialist Party]]<br>(1916–1920)|[[National Socialist Party (UK)|National Socialist Party]]<br>(1918–1939/1942)}}
| affiliation2_title = Other affiliations
| affiliation2 = [[Social Democratic and Labour Party]] (Northern Ireland)
| colours = {{colour box|{{party colour|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Red]]
| governing_body = [[National Executive Committee of the Labour Party|National Executive Committee]]
| slogan = "Change" (2024)
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| seats8_title = [[Directly elected mayors]]
| seats8 = {{composition bar|10|16|hex={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}}}
| seats9_title = [[Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom|Councillors]]{{ref label|b|nb}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://opencouncildata.co.uk/ |title=Open Council Data UK – compositions councillors parties wards elections |website=opencouncildata.co.uk}}</ref>
| seats9 = {{composition bar|6561|18646|hex={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}}}
| footnotes = <small>{{note|a||[[Mayor of London]] and 11 [[combined authority]] mayors.}}<br />{{note|b||Councillors of local authorities in England (including 25 aldermen of the [[City of London Corporation|City of London]]) and Scotland, principal councils in Wales and local councils in Northern Ireland.}}</small>
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{{labour|sp=uk|expanded=parties}}
{{Socialism in the UK}}
The '''Labour Party''' is a [[Social democracy|social-democratic]] [[List of political parties in the United Kingdom|political party in the United Kingdom]]
The Labour Party was founded in 1900, having grown out of the [[Labour movement#Trade unions|trade union movement]] and [[History of the socialist movement in the United Kingdom|socialist parties of the 19th century]], and formed an alliance with the [[Co-operative Party]] in 1927. It overtook the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] to become the main opposition to the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] in the early 1920s, forming two minority governments under [[Ramsay MacDonald]] in the 1920s and early 1930s. Labour served in the [[Churchill war ministry|wartime coalition]] of 1940–1945, after which [[Attlee ministry|Clement Attlee's government]] established the [[National Health Service]] and expanded the [[welfare state]] from 1945 to 1951. Under [[Harold Wilson]] and [[James Callaghan]], Labour again governed [[Labour government, 1964–1970|from 1964 to 1970]] and [[Labour government, 1974–1979|from 1974 to 1979]]. In the 1990s, [[Tony Blair]] took Labour to the [[Centrism|political centre]] as part of his [[New Labour]] project, which governed under Blair and then [[Gordon Brown]] from 1997 to 2010. In the 2020s, [[Keir Starmer]] again took Labour to the centre and has governed since 2024.
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=== Origins to 1890s===
[[File:Keir Hardie by George Charles Beresford (1905).jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Keir Hardie]], (1856–1915),
The origins of what became the Labour Party emerged in the late 19th century. It represented the interests of the labour unions and more generally the growing urban working class. Hundreds of thousands of workers had recently gained voting rights by laws passed in [[Representation of the People Act 1884|1867 and 1884]]. Many different trade unions flourished in the industrial districts. Their leaders used the [[Methodist]] revival tradition to find ways to rally the membership. Several small [[socialist]] organizations formed and wanted power based on the [[working class]]; the most influential was the [[Fabian Society]], which was made up of [[middle class]] reformers. [[Keir Hardie]] worked for cooperation among the unions and left-wing groups such as his small [[Independent Labour Party]] (ILP).<ref>Martin Pugh, ''Speak for Britain!: a new history of the Labour Party'' (1910), pp. 14–50. [https://archive.org/details/speakforbritainn0000pugh online]</ref>
=== Labour Representation Committee (1900–1906) ===
{{main|Labour Representation Committee (1900)}}
The Labour Party was formed by unions and left-wing groups to create a distinct political voice for the working class in Britain. In 1900 the [[Trades Union Congress]] (TUC), an umbrella body for most unions, sponsored a national conference to unite into a single party that would sponsor
=== Early years (1906–1923) ===
[[File:Oldlabour2.png|thumb|left|upright|The original Liberty logo, in use until 1983]]
The Labour Party's first national conference in Belfast in 1907 helped shape many of its key policies. Never fully resolved was the puzzle of where the final decisions ought to lie—in the annual conference? the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP)? The local chapters? The Trade Union Congress (which brought together the heads of most unions)?
After the war, the party focused on building a strong constituency-based support network and adopted a comprehensive statement of policies titled "Labour and the New Social Order". In 1918, [[Clause IV]] was added to Labour's constitution, committing the party to work towards common ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange.
The [[Representation of the People Act 1918]] greatly expanded the electorate, enfranchising all men and most women. The party concentrated its appeal on the new electorate with considerable success among working men, but far less success among women. As the Liberal Party collapsed, Labour became became the official opposition to the Conservative government.
=== Labour forms a government (1923–1924)===
{{Main|First MacDonald ministry}}
The [[1923 United Kingdom general election|1923 election]] was a pivotal
===The failed
In 1925-26 coal sales fell and the mining companies demanded an increase in hours and a cut in wages. The miners were totally opposed and planned a strike. The TUC coalition of unions decided it would support the miners by a nationwide general strike that would paralyze
=== Second Labour
{{
With Liberal help again MacDonald became prime following the successful [[1929 United Kingdom general election|1929 election]]. There were some promising achievements in foreign policy, notably the [[Young Plan]] that seemed to resolve the issue of German reparations, and the [[London Naval Treaty]] of 1930 that limited submarine construction.<ref>Paul W. Doerr, ''British Foreign Policy, 1919–1939'' (1998) pp.106–107, 119–120.</ref> Some minor legislation was passed, notably a [[Housing Act 1930|noncontroversial expansion of new public housing]]. Overnight in October 1929 the world economy plunged into the [[Great Depression in the United Kingdom|Great Depression]], and no party had an answer as tax revenue plunged, unemployment doubled to 2.5 million (in late 1930), prices fell, and government spending on unemployment benefits soared. Conditions became much worse in 1931 as the banks became unable to loan the government enough to cover the growing deficit. In an era before Keynesian economics, the strong consensus among experts was for the government to balance its budget. <ref>Hugh Dalton, ''Principles of public finance'' (1954) p. 213–220 [https://archive.org/details/principlesofpubl0000dalt/page/213/mode/1up online]. </ref> Spending was cut again and again but MacDonald and his [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] [[Philip Snowden, 1st Viscount Snowden|Philip Snowden]] argued that the only way to get an emergency loan from New York banks was to cut unemployment benefits by 10%. They pointed out that cost of food was down 15% and overall prices were down 10%. But in the cabinet most Labour members were vehemently opposed--they demanded new taxes on the rich instead. MacDonald gave up and on 23 August went to King [[George V]] and resigned the government. Unexpectedly the monarch insisted that the only patriotic solution was for MacDonald to stay and form an all-party "national government" with the Conservatives, which he did the next day. The Labour Party felt betrayed and expelled MacDonald and Snowden.
The new [[National Government (1931)|National Government, 1931–1935]] kept Macdonald and Snowden and two others, replacing the rest of the Laborites with Conservatives. The [[1931 United Kingdom general election|1931 election took place on 27 October.]] Labour had 6.3 million votes (31 percent), down from 8.0 million and 37 percent in 1929. Nevertheless it was reduced to a helpless minority of only 52 members, chiefly from coal mining districts. The old leadership was gone. One bright note came in 1934 when [[Herbert Morrison]] led Labour to take control of the [[London County Council]] for the first time ever.<ref>Pelling, ''A Short History of the Labour Party,'' pp.63–79.</ref><ref> R. Bassett, ''Nineteen thirty-one political crisis'' (1958) pp. 127–182. [https://archive.org/details/nineteenthirtyon0000bass/page/n5/mode/2up online]</ref>
In the [[1935 United Kingdom general election|1935 election]], Labour recovered to 8.0 million votes (38 percent), and [[Clement Attlee]] became Minority Leader. The Party now had 154 seats but had minimal influence in Parliament. At the local level union leaders, led by [[Ernest Bevin]], successfully defeated Communist infiltration.<ref> Andrew Thorpe, ''Britain in the 1930s'' (1992) pp. 41–49.</ref> In foreign policy a strong pacifist element made it slow to support the government's rearmament program. As the threat from [[Nazi Germany]] escalated, the Party gradually abandoned its pacifist stance and came to support re-armament, largely due to the efforts of Bevin and [[Hugh Dalton]]. By 1937 they had persuaded the Party to oppose [[Neville Chamberlain]]'s policy of [[European foreign policy of the Chamberlain ministry|appeasement of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy]].<ref>Pelling, ''A Short History of the Labour Party,'' pp.79–87.</ref><ref>L. C. B. Seaman, ''Post-Victorian Britain: 1902-1951'' (1966) pp. 205–246.</ref> However as late as April 1939 the Party strongly opposed conscription for the Army.<ref>Kenneth Harris, ''Attlee'' (1982) pp.161–162.</ref>
=== Wartime coalition (1940–1945) ===
{{see also|Churchill war ministry}}
The party returned to government in May 1940, with about a third of the seats in the [[Churchill war ministry|wartime coalition]] under Churchill. Attlee was given a new position as [[Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Deputy Prime Minister]]. He was in charge of the cabinet when Churchill was absent, and handled domestic affairs, working closely with Bevin as [[Secretary of State for Employment|Minister of Labour]].<ref>John Bew, ''Clement Attlee'' (2017) pp.245–336.</ref> The war set in motion profound demands for reform. This mood was epitomised in the [[Beveridge Report]] of 1942, by the Liberal economist [[William Beveridge]]. The ''Report'' assumed that the maintenance of full employment would be the aim of post-war governments, and that this would provide the basis for the [[welfare state]]. Immediately upon its release, it sold hundreds of thousands of copies. All major parties committed themselves to fulfilling this aim, but the Labour Party was seen by the electorate as the party most likely to follow it through.<ref>Steven Fielding, "What did 'the people' want?: the meaning of the 1945 general election". ''Historical Journal'' 35#3 (1992): 623–639 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2639633 online].</ref>
=== Attlee government (1945–1951) ===
{{main|Attlee ministry}}
[[File:Person attlee2.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Clement Attlee]], Prime Minister (1945–1951)]]
With victory in Europe the coalition broke up in May 1945. The [[1945 United Kingdom general election|1945 general election]] gave Labour a landslide victory, as they won 12 million votes (50% of the total) and 393 seats.<ref> Harrington, William, and Peter Young. ''The 1945 revolution'' (1978) pp. 186-206 ''[https://archive.org/details/1945revolution0000harr/page/n6/mode/1up online]</ref>
Attlee's government proved one of the most radical British governments of the 20th century, enacting [[Keynesian]] economic policies, presiding over a policy of nationalising major industries and utilities including the [[Bank of England]], coal mining, the steel industry, electricity, gas and inland transport (including railways, road haulage and canals). It developed and implemented the "cradle to grave" [[welfare state]] conceived by the economist [[William Beveridge]].<ref
[[File:Aneurin Bevan (1943).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Aneurin Bevan]] in 1943]]
Labour went on to win the [[1950 United Kingdom general election|1950 general election]], but with a much-reduced majority of five seats. Soon afterwards, defence became a divisive issue within the party, especially defence spending (which reached a peak of 14% of GDP in 1951 during the [[Korean War]]),<ref
In the [[1951 United Kingdom general election|1951 general election]], Labour narrowly lost to Churchill's Conservatives, despite receiving the larger share of the popular vote – its highest ever vote numerically. Most of the changes introduced by the 1945–51 Labour government were accepted by the Conservatives and became part of the "[[post-war consensus]]" that lasted until the late 1970s. Food and clothing rationing, however, still in place since the war, were swiftly relaxed, then abandoned from about 1953.<ref name="Bew 2017">{{cite book |last=Bew |first=John |title=Clement Attlee: The Man Who Made Modern Britain |date=2017 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0190203405}}</ref>
=== Post-war consensus (1951–1964) ===
Following the defeat of 1951, the party spent 13 years in opposition. The party suffered an ideological split, between the party's left-wing followers of [[Aneurin Bevan]] (known as [[Bevanites]]) and the right-wing of the party following [[Hugh Gaitskell]] (known as [[Gaitskellites]]) while the postwar economic recovery and the social effects of Attlee's reforms made the public broadly content with the Conservative governments of the time. The ageing Attlee contested his final general election in [[1955 United Kingdom general election|1955]], which saw Labour lose ground, and he retired shortly after.
Under his replacement, Hugh Gaitskell, Labour appeared more united than before and had been widely expected to win the [[1959 United Kingdom general election|1959 general election]], but did not. Following this internal party infighting resumed, particularly over the issues of [[nuclear disarmament]], Britain's entry into the [[European Economic Community]] (EEC) and [[Clause IV]] of the Labour Party Constitution, which was viewed as Labour's commitment to [[nationalisation]] which Gaitskell wanted scrapped. These issues would continue to divide the party for decades to come.{{sfnm |1a1=Barlow |1y=2008 |1p=224 |2a1=Beech |2y=2006 |2p=218 |3a1=Clark |3y=2012 |3p=66 |4a1=Heath |4a2=Jowell |4a3=Curtice |4y=2001 |4p=106 |5a1=Heppell |5y=2012 |5p=38 |6a1=Jones |6y=1996 |6p=8 |7a1=Kenny |7a2=Smith |7y=2013 |7p=110 |8a1=Leach |8y=2015 |8p=118}}<ref
=== Wilson government (1964–1970) ===
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After losing the 1970 general election, Labour returned to opposition, but retained Harold Wilson as Leader. Heath's government soon ran into trouble over [[Northern Ireland]] and a dispute with miners in 1973 which led to the "[[three-day week]]". The 1970s proved a difficult time to be in government for both the Conservatives and Labour due to the [[1973 oil crisis]], which caused high inflation and a global recession.
The Labour Party was returned to power again under Wilson a few days after the [[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|February 1974 general election]], forming a minority government with the support of the [[Ulster Unionist]]s.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 March 2010 |title=Britain's last hung parliament |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/mar/25/britain-hung-parliament-1974 |access-date=21 June 2022 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The General Election, February 1974 |url=https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/general-election-february-1974 |access-date=21 June 2022 |website=[[Gresham College]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=General Election 1974
=== Majority to minority (1974–1979) ===
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[[File:James Callaghan (1975).jpg|thumb|upright|[[James Callaghan]], Prime Minister (1976–1979)]]
Fear of advances by the nationalist parties, particularly in Scotland, led to the suppression of a [[McCrone report|report from Scottish Office economist Gavin McCrone]] that suggested that an independent Scotland would be "chronically in surplus".<ref
The nationalist parties, in turn, demanded [[devolution]] to their respective constituent countries in return for their supporting the government. When referendums for Scottish and Welsh devolution were held in March 1979 the [[1979 Welsh devolution referendum|Welsh devolution referendum]] saw a large majority vote against, while the [[1979 Scottish devolution referendum|Scottish referendum]] returned a narrow majority in favour without reaching the required threshold of 40% support. When the Labour government duly refused to push ahead with setting up the proposed Scottish Assembly, the SNP withdrew its support for the government: this finally brought the government down as the Conservatives triggered a [[1979 vote of no confidence in the government of James Callaghan|vote of confidence]] in Callaghan's government that was lost by a single vote on 28 March 1979, necessitating a general election.
By 1978, the economy had started to show signs of recovery, with inflation falling to single digits, unemployment falling and living standards starting to rise during the year.<ref>A Short History of the Labour Party by Henry Pelling.</ref> Labour's opinion poll ratings also improved, with most showing the party to be in the lead.{{sfn|Thorpe|2001}} Callaghan had been widely expected to call a general election in the autumn of 1978 to take advantage of the improving situation. In the event, he decided to gamble that extending the wage restraint policy for another year would allow the economy to be in better shape for a 1979 election. However, this proved unpopular with the trade unions, and during the winter of 1978–79 there were widespread strikes among lorry drivers, railway workers, car workers and local government and hospital workers in favour of higher pay-rises that caused significant disruption to everyday life. These events came to be dubbed the "[[Winter of Discontent]]".
These industrial disputes sent the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] now led by [[Margaret Thatcher]] into the lead in the polls, which led to Labour's defeat in the [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979 general election]]. The Labour vote held up in the election, with the party receiving nearly the same number of votes than in 1974. However, the Conservative Party achieved big increases in support in the Midlands and South of England, benefiting from both a surge in turnout and votes lost by the ailing Liberals.
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Labour improved its performance in [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987]], gaining 20 seats and so reducing the Conservative majority from 143 to 102. They were now firmly re-established as the second political party in Britain as the Alliance had once again failed to make a breakthrough with seats. A merger of the SDP and Liberals formed the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]]. Following the 1987 election, the National Executive Committee resumed disciplinary action against members of Militant, who remained in the party, leading to further expulsions of their activists and the two MPs who supported the group. During the 1980s radically socialist members of the party were often described as the "[[loony left]]", particularly in the [[print media]].<ref name="Julian Petley 2005 85–107">{{cite book |title=Culture wars: the media and the British left |editor1-first=James |editor1-last=Curran |editor2-first=Julian |editor2-last=Petley |editor3-first=Ivor |editor3-last=Gaber |publisher=[[Edinburgh University Press]] |year=2005|isbn=978-0-7486-1917-7 |chapter=Hit and Myth |pages=85–107 |first=Julian |last=Petley}}</ref> The print media in the 1980s also began using the pejorative "hard left" to sometimes describe [[Trotskyist]] groups such as the [[Militant tendency]], [[Socialist Organiser]] and [[Socialist Action (UK)|Socialist Action]].{{sfn|Shaw|1988|p=267}} In 1988, [[1988 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|Kinnock was challenged]] by [[Tony Benn]] for the party leadership. Based on the percentages, 183 members of parliament supported Kinnock, while Benn was backed by 37. With a clear majority, Kinnock remained leader of the Labour Party.<ref name="kinnockchallenge">{{cite news |last1=Webster |first1=Philip |title=Kinnock stunned by size of his election victory |url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=wes_ttda&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=IF500534823&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0 |access-date=5 April 2015 |work=[[The Times]] |issue=63202 |date=3 October 1988 |page=4 |url-access=subscription |via=The Times Digital Archive}}</ref>
[[File:Old Logo Labour Party.svg|thumb|Logo under Kinnock, Smith and Blair's leaderships|left|
The "yo-yo" in the opinion polls continued into 1992, though after November 1990 any Labour lead in the polls was rarely sufficient for a majority. Major resisted Kinnock's calls for a general election throughout 1991. Kinnock campaigned on the theme "It's Time for a Change", urging voters to elect a new government after more than a decade of unbroken Conservative rule. However, the Conservatives themselves had undergone a change of leader from Thatcher to Major and replaced the Community Charge.
[[File:Official portrait of Neil Kinnock, Member of the EC (cropped).jpg|thumb|235x235px|[[Neil Kinnock]], Leader of the Opposition (1983-1992)]]
The [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]] was widely tipped to result in a hung parliament or a narrow Labour majority, but in the event, the Conservatives were returned to power, though with a much-reduced majority of 21.<ref name="1992: Tories win again against odds">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/basics/election4/past_elections/4393317.stm |title=1992: Tories win again against odds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908173422/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/basics/election4/past_elections/4393317.stm |archive-date=8 September 2017 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=5 April 2005}}</ref> Despite the increased number of seats and votes, it was a disappointing result for the Labour party. For the first time in over 30 years there was serious doubt among the public and the media as to whether Labour could ever return to government.Kinnock resigned as leader and was succeeded by [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/apr/04/electionspast.past3 |title=Pollsters taxed |author=Martin Kettle |work=The Guardian |date=4 April 2005 |access-date=28 November 2023}}</ref> Once again the battle erupted between the old guard on the party's left and those identified as "modernisers". The old guard argued that trends showed they were regaining strength under Smith's strong leadership. The new Liberal Democrats seemed to pose a major threat to the Labour base. [[Tony Blair]], the Shadow Home Secretary, had a different vision to traditional Labour politics. Blair, the leader of the "modernising" faction, argued that the long-term trends had to be reversed, arguing that the party was too locked into a base that was shrinking, since it was based on the working-class, on trade unions and on residents of subsidised council housing. Blair argued that the rapidly growing middle class was largely ignored, as well as more ambitious working-class families. Blair said that they aspired to become middle-class and accepted the Conservative argument that traditional Labour was holding ambitious people back to some extent with higher tax policies. To present a fresh face and new policies to the electorate, [[New Labour]] needed more than fresh leaders; it had to jettison outdated policies, argued the modernisers.<ref>David Butler and Dennis Kavanagh, ''The British general election of 1997'' (1997), pp 46–67.</ref> The first step was procedural, but essential. Calling on the slogan, "[[One Member, One Vote]]" Blair (with some help from Smith) defeated the union element and ended [[voting bloc|block voting]] by leaders of [[labour unions]].{{sfn|Rentoul|2001|pp=206–218}} Blair and the modernisers called for radical adjustment of Party goals by repealing "Clause IV", the historic commitment to nationalisation of industry. This was achieved in 1995.{{sfn|Rentoul|2001|pp=249–266}}▼
[[Black Wednesday]] in September 1992 damaged the Conservative government's reputation for economic competence, and by the end of that year, Labour had a comfortable lead over the
▲The [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]] was widely tipped to result in a hung parliament or a narrow Labour majority, but in the event, the Conservatives were returned to power, though with a much-reduced majority of 21.<ref name="1992: Tories win again against odds">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/basics/election4/past_elections/4393317.stm |title=1992: Tories win again against odds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908173422/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/basics/election4/past_elections/4393317.stm |archive-date=8 September 2017 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=5 April 2005}}</ref> Despite the increased number of seats and votes, it was a disappointing result for the Labour party. For the first time in over 30 years there was serious doubt among the public and the media as to whether Labour could ever return to government.Kinnock resigned as leader and was succeeded by [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/apr/04/electionspast.past3 |title=Pollsters taxed |author=Martin Kettle |work=The Guardian |date=4 April 2005 |access-date=28 November 2023}}</ref> Once again the battle erupted between the old guard on the party's left and those identified as "modernisers". The old guard argued that trends showed they were regaining strength under Smith's strong leadership. The new Liberal Democrats seemed to pose a major threat to the Labour base. [[Tony Blair]], the Shadow Home Secretary, had a different vision to traditional Labour politics. Blair, the leader of the "modernising" faction, argued that the long-term trends had to be reversed, arguing that the party was too locked into a base that was shrinking, since it was based on the working-class, on trade unions and on residents of subsidised council housing. Blair argued that the rapidly growing middle class was largely ignored, as well as more ambitious working-class families. Blair said that they aspired to become middle-class and accepted the Conservative argument that traditional Labour was holding ambitious people back to some extent with higher tax policies. To present a fresh face and new policies to the electorate, [[New Labour]] needed more than fresh leaders; it had to jettison outdated policies, argued the modernisers.<ref>David Butler and Dennis Kavanagh, ''The British general election of 1997'' (1997) pp 46–67.</ref> The first step was procedural, but essential. Calling on the slogan, "[[One Member, One Vote]]" Blair (with some help from Smith) defeated the union element and ended [[voting bloc|block voting]] by leaders of [[labour unions]].{{sfn|Rentoul|2001|pp=206–218}} Blair and the modernisers called for radical adjustment of Party goals by repealing "Clause IV", the historic commitment to nationalisation of industry. This was achieved in 1995.{{sfn|Rentoul|2001|pp=249–266}}
▲[[Black Wednesday]] in September 1992 damaged the Conservative government's reputation for economic competence, and by the end of that year, Labour had a comfortable lead over the Tories in the opinion polls. Although the recession was declared over in April 1993 and a period of strong and sustained economic growth followed, coupled with a relatively swift fall in unemployment, the Labour lead in the opinion polls remained strong. However, Smith died from a heart attack in May 1994.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/basics/4393323.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |title=1997: Labour landslide ends Tory rule |date=15 April 2005 |access-date=10 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901033201/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/basics/4393323.stm |archive-date=1 September 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of|2023}}, he is the last Labour leader not to have contested a general election (excluding acting leaders and the incumbent, whose tenure is ongoing).{{Refn|See [[#Electoral performance|electoral performance]] and [[Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Leader of the Labour Party]].|group=nb}}
=== New Labour (1994–2010) ===
{{main|New Labour}}
{{see also|Premiership of Tony Blair|Premiership of Gordon Brown}}
{{further|Shadow Cabinet of Tony Blair|First Blair ministry|Second Blair ministry|Third Blair ministry|Brown ministry}}[[File:New Labour new Britain logo.svg|thumb|New Labour logo]]Blair continued to move the party further to the centre, abandoning the largely symbolic [[Clause Four]] at the 1995 mini-conference in a strategy to increase the party's appeal to "[[middle England]]".
[[File:
[[New Labour]] was first termed as an alternative branding for the Labour Party, dating from a conference slogan first used by the Labour Party in 1994, which was later seen in a draft manifesto published by the party in 1996, called ''[[New Labour, New Life For Britain]]''. It was a continuation of the trend that had begun under the leadership of [[Neil Kinnock]]. New Labour as a name has no official status, but remains in common use to distinguish modernisers from those holding to more traditional positions, normally referred to as "Old Labour".
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A perceived turning point was when Blair controversially allied himself with US President [[George W. Bush]] in supporting the [[Iraq War]], which caused him to lose much of his political support.<ref name="Deutsche Welle">{{cite news |url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,745536,00.html |title=European Opposition To Iraq War Grows | Current Affairs |work=[[Deutsche Welle]] |date=13 January 2003 |access-date=13 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120123164522/http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,745536,00.html |archive-date=23 January 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Kofi Annan|UN Secretary-General]], among many, considered the war illegal and a violation of the [[UN Charter]].<ref name="Tucker2015">{{cite book |first=Spencer C. |last=Tucker |title=U.S. Conflicts in the 21st Century: Afghanistan War, Iraq War, and the War on Terror [3 volumes]: Afghanistan War, Iraq War, and the War on Terror |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d8EnCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA83|date=14 December 2015 |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |isbn=978-1-4408-3879-8 |page=83 |access-date=7 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215101037/https://books.google.com/books?id=d8EnCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA83 |archive-date=15 December 2016 |url-status=live |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref>{{sfn|McClintock|2010|p=150}} The Iraq War was deeply unpopular in most western countries, with Western governments divided in their support<ref name="Bennhold">{{cite web|last=Bennhold |first=Katrin |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/08/28/sochi_ed3_.php |title=Unlikely alliance built on opposition to Iraq war now raises questions |work=International Herald Tribune |date=28 August 2004 |access-date=13 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207073550/http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/08/28/sochi_ed3_.php |archive-date=7 December 2008}}</ref> and under pressure from [[Protests against the Iraq War|worldwide popular protests]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fishwick |first1=Carmen |title='We were ignored': anti-war protesters remember the Iraq war marches |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/08/we-were-ignored-anti-war-protestors-remember-the-iraq-war-marches |access-date=10 October 2017 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=8 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011022219/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/08/we-were-ignored-anti-war-protestors-remember-the-iraq-war-marches |archive-date=11 October 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The decisions that led up to the Iraq war and its subsequent conduct were the subject of the [[Iraq Inquiry]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Chilcot report: key points from the Iraq inquiry |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/06/iraq-inquiry-key-points-from-the-chilcot-report |access-date=10 October 2017 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=6 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011022052/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/06/iraq-inquiry-key-points-from-the-chilcot-report |archive-date=11 October 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Gordon Brown official.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Gordon Brown]], Prime Minister (2007–2010)]]In the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], Labour was re-elected for a third term, but with a reduced majority of 66 and popular vote of only 35.2%. Blair announced in September 2006 that he would step down as leader within the year, though he had been under pressure to quit earlier than May 2007 in order to get a new leader in place before the [[2006 United Kingdom local elections|May elections]] which were expected to be disastrous for Labour.<ref name="I will quit within a year – Blair">{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5322094.stm |title=I will quit within a year – Blair |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061117032828/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5322094.stm |archive-date=17 November 2006 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=7 September 2007}}</ref> In the event, the party did lose power in Scotland to a minority [[Scottish National Party]] government at the [[2007 Scottish Parliament election|2007 elections]] and, shortly after this, Blair resigned as Prime Minister and was replaced by the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer|Chancellor]], [[Gordon Brown]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/may/04/scotland.devolution |title=SNP wins historic victory |author=Patrick Wintour |work=The Guardian |date=4 May 2007 |access-date=16 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6243558.stm |title=Blair resigns as prime minister |publisher=BBC News |date=27 June 2007 |access-date=16 June 2023}}</ref> Brown coordinated the UK's response to the [[2007–2008 financial crisis]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-13032013 |title=Gordon Brown admits 'big mistake' over banking crisis |publisher=BBC News |date=11 April 2011 |access-date=16 June 2023}}</ref> Membership of the party also reached a low falling to 156,205 by the end of 2009: over 40 per cent of the 405,000 peak reached in 1997 and thought to be the lowest total since the party was founded.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/2475301/Labour-membership-falls-to-historic-low.html |location=London |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |first1=James |last1=Kirkup |first2=Rosa |last2=Prince |title=Labour Party membership falls to lowest level since it was founded in 1900 |date=30 July 2008 |access-date=2 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417044145/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/2475301/Labour-membership-falls-to-historic-low.html |archive-date=17 April 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="parliament.uk">{{Cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snsg-05125.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121122534/http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snsg-05125.pdf |url-status=dead |title=John Marshall: Membership of UK political parties; House of Commons, SN/SG/5125; 2009, page 9 |archive-date=21 January 2013}}</ref>
In the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] on 6 May that year, Labour with 29.0% of the vote won the second largest number of seats (258).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/ |title=Election 2010 results |publisher=BBC News |access-date=16 June 2023}}</ref> The Conservatives with 36.5% of the vote won the largest number of seats (307), but [[hung parliament|no party had an overall majority]], meaning that Labour could still remain in power if they managed to form a coalition with at least one smaller party.<ref name="guardian.co.uk">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/may/07/uk-election-results-data-candidates-seats |title=UK election results: data for every candidate in every seat |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328091628/https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/may/07/uk-election-results-data-candidates-seats |archive-date=28 March 2017 |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |date=7 May 2010}}</ref> However, the Labour Party would have had to form a coalition with more than one other smaller party to gain an overall majority; anything less would result in a minority government.<ref name="Wintour">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/wintour-and-watt/2010/may/07/gordon-brown-rainbow-coalition |title=General election 2010: Can Gordon Brown put together a rainbow coalition? |date=7 May 2010 |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |first=Patrick |last=Wintour |access-date=15 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328094703/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/wintour-and-watt/2010/may/07/gordon-brown-rainbow-coalition |archive-date=28 March 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> On 10 May 2010, after talks to form a coalition with the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] broke down, Brown announced his intention to stand down as Leader before the Labour Party Conference but a day later resigned as both Prime Minister and party leader.<ref name="The Independent">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/gordon-brown-to-resign-as-labour-leader-1970273.html |title=Gordon Brown to resign as Labour leader |date=10 May 2010 |work=[[The Independent]] |location=London |first1=Trevor |last1=Mason |first2=Jon |last2=Smith |access-date=2 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513014237/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/gordon-brown-to-resign-as-labour-leader-1970273.html |archive-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>
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{{further|Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband|Shadow Cabinet of Jeremy Corbyn}}
[[File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Edward Miliband MP crop 2.jpg|left|thumb|224x224px|[[Ed Miliband]], Leader of the Opposition (2010–2015)]]
[[Ed Miliband]] won the subsequent [[2010 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|leadership election]].<ref name="Harman made acting Labour leader">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8676333.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |title=Harman made acting Labour leader |date=11 May 2010 |access-date=11 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902190645/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8676333.stm |archive-date=2 September 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Miliband emphasised "responsible capitalism" and greater [[state intervention]] to rebalance the economy away from [[financial services]].<ref name="Miliband">{{cite web |last=Miliband |first=Ed |author-link=Ed Miliband |title=Building a responsible capitalism |work=Juncture (IPPR) |date=25 May 2012 |url=http://www.ippr.org/junctures/166/9200/building-a-responsible-capitalism |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526093233/http://www.ippr.org/junctures/166/9200/building-a-responsible-capitalism |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 May 2012 |access-date=5 June 2012}}</ref> He advocated for more regulation of banks and energy companies<ref name="New Statesman">{{Cite news |title=Ed Miliband's Banking Reform Speech: The Full Details |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/01/ed-milibands-banking-reform-speech-full-details |work=[[New Statesman]] |access-date=5 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721052136/http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/01/ed-milibands-banking-reform-speech-full-details |archive-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> and often addressed the need to challenge vested interests<ref>{{cite news |title=Ed Miliband: Surcharge culture is fleecing customers |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16624805 |access-date=5 June 2012 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=19 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122003700/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16624805 |archive-date=22 January 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> and increase inclusivity in British society.<ref name="The Labour Party">{{cite web |title=Ed Miliband speech on Social Mobility to the Sutton Trust|url=http://www.labour.org.uk/ed-miliband-speech-on-social-mobility-to-the-sutton-trust,2012-05-21 |publisher=The Labour Party |access-date=5 June 2012 |date=21 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524060329/http://www.labour.org.uk/ed-miliband-speech-on-social-mobility-to-the-sutton-trust,2012-05-21 |archive-date=24 May 2012}}</ref> He adopted the "[[One Nation Labour]]" branding in 2012. The [[Parliamentary Labour Party]] voted to abolish [[2010 Labour Party
In March 2014, the party reformed internal election procedures, including replacing the [[electoral college]] system with "[[one member, one vote]]". Mass membership was encouraged by creating a class of "registered supporters" as an alternative to full membership. [[Labour Party (UK) affiliated trade union|Trade union]] members would also have to explicitly opt in rather than opt out of paying a political levy to the party.<ref name=independent-20140228>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tony-blair-backs-ed-milibands-internal-labour-reforms-9161291.html |title=Tony Blair backs Ed Miliband's internal Labour reforms |author=Andrew Grice |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |location=London |date=28 February 2014 |access-date=26 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822220516/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tony-blair-backs-ed-milibands-internal-labour-reforms-9161291.html |archive-date=22 August 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=guardian-20140301>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2014/mar/01/labour-votes-on-membershipunion-reforms-at-special-conference-politics-live-blog |title=Miliband wins vote on Labour party reforms with overwhelming majority |author=Andrew Sparrow |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=1 March 2014 |access-date=24 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923120123/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2014/mar/01/labour-votes-on-membershipunion-reforms-at-special-conference-politics-live-blog |archive-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>
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On 4 April 2020, [[Keir Starmer]] was elected as Leader of the Labour Party amidst the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 April 2020 |title=Keir Starmer elected as new Labour leader |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52164589 |url-status=live |access-date=4 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425080229/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52164589 |archive-date=25 April 2020}}</ref> During [[Keir Starmer's tenure as Leader of the Opposition|his tenure as opposition leader]], Starmer repositioned the party from the [[Labour left|left]] toward the [[Centre-left politics|centre-left]] and [[political centre]], and emphasised the importance of eliminating [[Antisemitism in the British Labour Party|antisemitism within the party]]. Starmer led Labour to victory in the local elections in [[2023 United Kingdom local elections|2023]] and [[2024 United Kingdom local elections|2024]]. In 2023, Starmer set out five missions for [[Starmer ministry|his government]], targeting issues such as economic growth, health, clean energy, crime and education.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Chris |last2=Whannel |first2=Kate |date=23 February 2023 |title=Keir Starmer unveils Labour's five missions for the country |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64739371 |access-date=5 July 2024 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>
During the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]], Labour maintained a strong poll lead, with [[Change (manifesto)|its manifesto]] focusing on on economic growth, planning system reform, infrastructure, clean energy, healthcare, education, childcare, constitutional reform, and strengthening workers' rights.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 May 2024 |title=Labour manifesto 2024: Find out how Labour will get Britain's future back |url=https://labour.org.uk/updates/stories/labour-manifesto-2024-sign-up/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240613141625/https://labour.org.uk/updates/stories/labour-manifesto-2024-sign-up/ |archive-date=13 June 2024 |access-date=12 June 2024 |website=The Labour Party}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Labour Party Manifesto 2024 |url=https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Labour-Party-manifesto-2024.pdf |journal=Labour Party Manifesto 2024}}</ref> Starmer led Labour to a landslide victory with a majority of 174, ending fourteen years of [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] government with Labour becoming the largest party in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4nglegege1o |title=General election 2024 in maps and charts |website=BBC News |date=6 July 2024 |access-date=8 July 2024}}</ref><ref name=":112">{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Faye |date=5 July 2024 |title='Change begins now', Starmer says - as Labour win historic landslide |url=https://news.sky.com/story/the-labour-party-has-won-this-general-election-sunak-concedes-defeat-13162921 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705091108/https://news.sky.com/story/the-labour-party-has-won-this-general-election-sunak-concedes-defeat-13162921 |archive-date=5 July 2024 |access-date=5 July 2024 |website=[[Sky News]]}}</ref> He succeeded [[Rishi Sunak]] as prime minister on 5 July 2024, becoming the first Labour prime minister since Gordon Brown in 2010 and the first one to win a general election since Tony Blair in [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005]].<ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=Mason |first=Rowena |date=5 July 2024 |title=Keir Starmer promises 'stability and moderation' in first speech as PM |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/05/keir-starmer-first-speech-prime-minister-pm-labour-downing-street |access-date=5 July 2024 |work=[[The Guardian]] |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> One of Starmer's first cabinet appointments was [[Rachel Reeves]] as [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], which made her the first woman to hold the office.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-07-05 |title=Rachel Reeves Goes for Growth as UK's First Female Chancellor |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-05/rachel-reeves-goes-for-growth-as-uk-s-first-female-chancellor |access-date=2024-07-05 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-08 |title=Rachel Reeves: First female chancellor a 'game-changer' says MP |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnl05pyw8yjo |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>{{clear}}<!--This section is meant to be just a summary. Please do not add too much detail – the "History of the Labour Party (UK)" article is intended for detailed additions-->
== Ideology ==
Labour sits on the [[centre-left]] of the political spectrum.{{refn|<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto4"/><ref name="auto3"/>{{sfn|Budge|2008|pp=26–27|ps=.{{verify source|date=January 2016}}}}}} It was formed to provide political representation for the [[trade union movement]] at [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|Westminster]]. The Labour Party gained a socialist commitment with the party constitution of 1918, [[Clause IV]] of which called for the "common ownership", or [[nationalisation]], of the "means of production, distribution and exchange". Although about a third of British industry was taken into public ownership after the Second World War and remained so until the 1980s, the right of the party were questioning the validity of expanding on this by the late 1950s. Influenced by [[Anthony Crosland]]'s book ''[[The Future of Socialism]]'' (1956), the circle around party leader [[Hugh Gaitskell]] felt that the commitment was no longer necessary. An attempt to remove Clause IV from the party constitution in 1959 failed, [[Tony Blair]] and New Labour "modernisers" were successful in doing so 35 years later.<ref name="historytoday.com">Martin Daunton [http://www.historytoday.com/martin-daunton/labour-party-and-clause-four-1918-1995 "The Labour Party and Clause Four 1918–1995"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721122126/http://www.historytoday.com/martin-daunton/labour-party-and-clause-four-1918-1995 |date=21 July 2015 }}, ''History Review 1995'' (''History Today'' website)</ref><ref
Historically influenced by [[Keynesian economics]], the party favoured [[government intervention]] in the economy and the [[Income redistribution|redistribution]] of wealth. Taxation was seen as a means to achieve a "major redistribution of wealth and income" in the October 1974 election manifesto.{{sfn|Lund|2006|p=111}} The party also desired increased rights for workers and a [[welfare state]] including publicly funded healthcare. From the late-1980s onwards, the party adopted [[free market]] policies,<ref name="mulholland1">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/apr/07/labour-pro-business-ed-miliband |location=London |work=[[The Guardian]] |first=Helene |last=Mulholland |title=Labour will continue to be pro-business, says Ed Miliband |date=7 April 2011 |access-date=15 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328104934/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/apr/07/labour-pro-business-ed-miliband |archive-date=28 March 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> leading many observers to describe the Labour Party as [[social democratic]] or the [[Third Way]], rather than democratic socialist.{{sfnm|1a1=Hay|1y=2002|1pp=114–115|2a1=Hopkin|2a2=Wincott|2y=2006|3a1=Jessop|3y=2004|4a1=McAnulla|4y=2006|4pp=118, 127, 133, 141|5a1=Merkel|5a2=Petring|5a3=Henkes|5a4=Egle|5y=2008|5pp=4, 25–26, 40, 66}} Other commentators go further and argue that traditional social democratic parties across Europe, including the British Labour Party, have been so deeply transformed in recent years that it is no longer possible to describe them ideologically as "social democratic",<ref name="Lavelle 2008">{{cite book |title=The Death of Social Democracy, Political Consequences for the 21st Century |last=Lavelle |first=Ashley |year=2008 |publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing]]}}</ref> and that this ideological shift has put new strains on the Labour Party's traditional relationship with the trade unions.{{sfnm|1a1=Daniels|1a2=McIlroy|1y=2009|2a1=McIlroy|2y=2011|3a1=Smith|3y=2009|4a1=Smith|4a2=Morton|4y=2006}} Within the party, differentiation was made between the social democratic and the [[socialist]] wings of the party, the latter often subscribed to a radical socialist, even [[Marxist]], ideology.{{sfn|Crines|2011|p=161}}<ref name="What's left of the Labour left">{{cite web |title=What's left of the Labour left? |url=http://www.totalpolitics.com/print/161892/whats-left-of-the-labour-left.thtml |publisher=Total Politics |access-date=6 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150821005801/http://www.totalpolitics.com/print/161892/whats-left-of-the-labour-left.thtml |archive-date=21 August 2015}}</ref>
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As of 31 December 2010, under Leader [[Ed Miliband]], individual membership of the party was 193,261; a historical low for the Party since the 1930s.<ref name="search">{{cite web|url=https://search.electoralcommission.org.uk//Api/Accounts/Documents/826|title=Financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2011|website=search.electoralcommission.org.uk}}</ref> Membership remained relatively unchanged in the following years.<ref name="search"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://search.electoralcommission.org.uk//Api/Accounts/Documents/15409|title=Financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2013|website=search.electoralcommission.org.uk}}</ref><ref name="search2">{{cite web|url=https://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Api/Accounts/Documents/17488|title=Financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2015|website=search.electoralcommission.org.uk}}</ref> In August 2015, prior to the [[2015 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|2015 leadership election]], the Labour Party reported 292,505 full members, 147,134 affiliated supporters (mostly from affiliated [[trade union]]s and [[socialist societies]]) and 110,827 registered supporters; a total of about 550,000 members and supporters.<ref name=independent-20150910>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-leadership-contest-after-88-days-of-campaigning-how-did-labours-candidates-do-10495726.html |title=Labour leadership contest: After 88 days of campaigning, how did Labour's candidates do? |author=Oliver Wright |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=10 September 2015 |access-date=11 September 2015 |quote=the electorate is divided into three groups: 292,000 members, 148,000 union "affiliates" and 112,000 registered supporters who each paid £3 to take part |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914020112/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-leadership-contest-after-88-days-of-campaigning-how-did-labours-candidates-do-10495726.html |archive-date=14 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=mirror-20150825>{{cite news |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/four-labour-leadership-candidates-rule-6316659 |title=All four Labour leadership candidates rule out legal fight – despite voter count plummeting by 60,000 |first=Dan |last=Bloom |newspaper=[[Daily Mirror]] |date=25 August 2015 |access-date=11 September 2015 |quote=total of those who can vote now stands at 550,816 ... The total still eligible to vote are now 292,505 full paid-up members, 147,134 supporters affiliated through the unions and 110,827 who've paid a £3 fee. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908123212/http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/four-labour-leadership-candidates-rule-6316659 |archive-date=8 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Following the election of [[Jeremy Corbyn]] as leader, individual membership almost doubled to 388,262 in December 2015;<ref name="search2"/> and rose significantly again the following year to 543,645 in December 2016.<ref>[https://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Api/Accounts/Documents/20546 "The Labour Party – Financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017"]
{{As of|December 2017}}, the party had 564,443 full members,<ref name=labour-201807>{{cite web |url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Api/Accounts/Documents/20546 |title=The Labour Party – Financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2017 |website=Labour Party |date=July 2018 |access-date=20 January 2022 |archive-url= |archive-date=}}</ref> a peak since 1980 making it the largest political party in Western Europe.<ref name=huffpost-20170613>{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/labour-party-membership-soars-by-33000-in-four-days-since-general-election_uk_59400feee4b0e84514ee930f |title=Labour Party Membership Soars By 35,000 In Just Four Days – After 'Corbyn Surge' In 2017 General Election |last=Waugh |first=Paul |work=[[Huffington Post]] |date=13 June 2017 |access-date=30 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630055010/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/labour-party-membership-soars-by-33000-in-four-days-since-general-election_uk_59400feee4b0e84514ee930f |archive-date=30 June 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/parliament-and-elections/parliament/uk-political-party-membership-figures-august-2018/ |title=UK political party membership figures: August 2018 |website=House of Commons library |date=3 September 2018 |access-date=4 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903215310/https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/parliament-and-elections/parliament/uk-political-party-membership-figures-august-2018/ |archive-date=3 September 2018 |url-status=live |last1=Audickas |first1=Lukas}}</ref> Consequently, membership fees became the largest component of the party's income, overtaking trade unions donations which were previously of most financial importance, making Labour the most financially well-off British political party in 2017.<ref name=guardian-20180822>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/22/labour-coffers-make-party-richest-in-britain |title=Labour is Britain's richest party – and it's not down to the unions |last=Sabbagh |first=Dan |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=22 August 2018 |access-date=23 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822203856/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/22/labour-coffers-make-party-richest-in-britain |archive-date=22 August 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> As of December 2019, the party had 532,046 full members.<ref name=labour-202007>{{cite web |url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Api/Accounts/Documents/22602 |title=The Labour Party – Financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2019 |website=Labour Party |date=July 2020 |access-date=20 January 2022 |archive-url= |archive-date=}}</ref>
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|4th
|{{no2|[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]–[[Liberal Unionist Party|Liberal Unionist]]}}
|<ref>{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |author-link=F. W. S. Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=1}}</ref>
|-
![[1906 United Kingdom general election|1906]]
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|{{no2|[[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]}}
|<ref>{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=7}}</ref>
|-
!data-sort-value="1910.1"|[[January 1910 United Kingdom general election|January 1910]]
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|{{no2|Liberal minority}}
|<ref>{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=14}}</ref>
|-
!data-sort-value="1910.2"|[[December 1910 United Kingdom general election|December 1910]]
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|{{steady}} 4th
|{{no2|Liberal minority}}
|<ref name="CraigFWS23">{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=23}}</ref>
|-
![[1918 United Kingdom general election|1918]]{{efn|The first election held under the [[Representation of the People Act 1918]] in which all men over 21, and most women over the age of 30 could vote, and therefore a much larger electorate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/parliament-and-the-first-world-war/legislation-and-acts-of-war/acts-of-war---representation-of-the-people-act-1918--/ |title=Representation of the People Act 1918 |website=UK Parliament |access-date=6 October 2023}}</ref>}}
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|{{steady}} 4th
|{{no2|[[Coalition Coupon|Coalition Liberal]]–Conservative}}
|{{refn|<ref name=":1617"/><ref>{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=27}}</ref>}}
|-
![[1922 United Kingdom general election|1922]]
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|{{increase}} 2nd
|{{no2|Conservative}}
|{{refn|<ref name=":1617"/><ref>{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=35}}</ref>}}
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![[1923 United Kingdom general election|1923]]
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|{{steady}} 2nd
|{{yes2|Labour minority}}
|{{refn|<ref name=":1617"/><ref>{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=44}}</ref>}}
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![[1924 United Kingdom general election|1924]]
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|{{steady}} 2nd
|{{no2|Conservative}}
|{{refn|<ref name=":1617"/><ref>{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=54}}</ref>}}
|-
![[1929 United Kingdom general election|1929]]{{efn|First election held under the [[Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928]] which gave all women aged over 21 the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/commons/media-relations-group/news/on-this-day-on-30-may-1929-women-vote-on-same-terms-as-men-for-first-time-in-general-election/ |title=On this day in May 1929 women vote in general election on same terms as men |website=UK Parliament |date=30 May 2018 |access-date=6 October 2023}}</ref>}}
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|{{increase}} 1st
|{{yes2|Labour minority}}
|{{refn|<ref name=":1617"/><ref>{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=69}}</ref>}}
|-
![[1931 United Kingdom general election|1931]]
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|{{decrease}} 2nd
|{{no2|Conservative–Liberal–[[National Labour Organisation|National Labour]]}}
|{{refn|<ref name=":1617"/><ref>{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=89}}</ref>}}
|-
![[1935 United Kingdom general election|1935]]
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|{{steady}} 2nd
|{{no2|Conservative–[[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)|Liberal National]]–National Labour}}
|{{refn|<ref name=":1617"/><ref>{{cite book |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British General Election Manifestos, 1900–1974 |year=1975 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-333-17154-3 |page=101}}</ref>}}
|-
![[1945 United Kingdom general election|1945]]
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|{{increase}} 1st
|{{yes2|Labour}}
|<ref>{{cite news |work=[[Financial Times]] |url=https://ig.ft.com/uk-general-election/2024/results/ |access-date=8 July 2024 |archive-date=8 July 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.
|}
[[File:Popular vote.jpg|thumb|A graph showing the percentage of the popular vote received by major parties in general elections (1832–2005).|400x400px]]
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== Bibliography ==
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book |last=Barlow |first=Keith |year=2008 |title=The Labour Movement in Britain from Thatcher to Blair |location=Frankfurt |publisher=Peter Lang |isbn=978-3-631-55137-0}}
* {{cite news |title=Scottish election 2021: The numbers behind the result |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-57047907 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510084813/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-57047907 |archive-date=10 May 2021 |url-status=live |publisher=[[BBC News]] |access-date=7 July 2024}}
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* {{cite book |last1=Crines |first1=Andrew Scott |year=2011 |title=Michael Foot and the Labour leadership |location=Newcastle upon Tyne |publisher=Cambridge Scholars |isbn=978-1-4438-3239-7}}
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Daniels |editor1-first=Gary |editor2-last=McIlroy |editor2-first=John |year=2009 |title=Trade Unions in a Neoliberal World: British Trade Unions under New Labour |series=Routledge Research in Employment Relations |volume=20 |location=London |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-0-415-42663-3}}
* Garnett, Mark, Gavin Hyman, and Richard Johnson. ''Keeping the Red Flag Flying: The Labour Party in Opposition Since 1922'' (John Wiley & Sons, 2024).
* {{cite book |last=Hay |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Hay (political scientist) |year=2002 |title=British Politics Today |location=Cambridge |publisher=[[Polity Press]] |isbn=978-0-7456-2319-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/britishpoliticst0000unse}}
* {{cite book |last1=Heath |first1=Anthony F. |author1-link=Anthony Heath |last2=Jowell |first2=Roger M. |author2-link=Roger Jowell |last3=Curtice |first3=John K. |author3-link=John Curtice |year=2001 |title=The Rise of New Labour: Party Policies and Voter Choices: Party Policies and Voter Choices |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-152964-1}}
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* Brivati, Brian, and Richard Heffernan, eds. ''The Labour Party: A Centenary History'' (2000) [https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9780230595583 online], 27 chapters by experts
* Davies, A. J. ''To Build a New Jerusalem: Labour Movement from the 1890s to the 1990s'' (1996).
* Driver, Stephen; and Luke Martell. ''New Labour: Politics after Thatcherism'' ([[Polity Press]], wnd ed. 2006).
* Foote, Geoffrey. ''The Labour Party's Political Thought: A History'' (Macmillan, 1997).
* Harris, Kenneth. ''Attlee'' (1982) [https://archive.org/details/attlee00kenn online]
* Kavanagh, Dennis. ''The Politics of the Labour Party'' (
* Morgan, Kenneth O. ''Labour People: Leaders and Lieutenants, Hardie to Kinnock''
* Morgan, Kenneth O. "United Kingdom: A Comparative Case Study of Labour Prime Ministers Attlee, Wilson, Callaghan and Blair" ''The Journal of Legislative Studies'' 10.2-3 (2004): 38-52. https://doi.org/10.1080/135723304200032220
* Pelling, Henry; and Alastair J. Reid. '' A Short History of the Labour Party'' (12th ed. 2005) [https://archive.org/details/shorthistoryofla0000reid/page/n4/mode/1up online]
* Pimlott, Ben, and Chris Cook, eds. ''Trade unions in British politics: the first 250 years'' (2nd ed. Longman, 1991)
* Plant, Raymond, Matt Beech and Kevin Hickson
* Rogers, Chris. "'Hang on a Minute, I've Got a Great Idea': From the Third Way to Mutual Advantage in the Political Economy of the British Labour Party." ''British Journal of Politics and International Relations'' 15#1 (2013): 53–69.
* Rosen, Greg, ed. ''Dictionary of Labour Biography''.
* Rosen, Greg. ''Old Labour to New'', [[Politicos Publishing]], 2005.
* Seaman, L. C. B. ''Post-Victorian Britain: 1902-1951'' (1966) [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Post_Victorian_Britain_1902_1951/0e2IAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover online]
* Shaw, Eric. ''The Labour Party since 1979: Crisis and Transformation'' (
* Shaw, Eric. "Understanding Labour Party Management under Tony Blair." ''
* Taylor, Robert. ''The Parliamentary Labour Party: A History 1906–2006'' (2007).
* Timmins, Nicholas. ''The five giants: a biography of the welfare state'' (2nd ed. 2001) [https://archive.org/details/fivegiantsbiogra0000timm_y2h2 online]
{{refend}}
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* {{Official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070210082459/http://www.labourhistory.org.uk/ Labour History Group website]
* [http://www.phm.org.uk/ Labour History Archive and Study Centre holds archives of the National Labour Party]
* [https://mrc.epexio.com/records/EML Catalogue of the Labour Party East Midlands Region archives]—held at the [[Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick]]
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