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Socialist Labour Party (UK)
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Labour Party (SLP) is a far left
socialist political party in the United Kingdom
. The party is led by former trade union leader Arthur Scargill
, who established it in 1996 as a breakaway from the Labour Party
. Its name is a deliberate nod to the defunct Socialist Labour Party
led by James Connolly
who was killed after the 1916 Irish Easter Rising
, a quotation from whom appears on the Socialist Labour Party website.
According to accounts filed for the year of 2010 with the Electoral Commission
, the Socialist Labour Party had 3,260 members excluding affiliates. It had an income of around £14,200 and an expenditure of about £10,000.
's rewrite of Clause IV
in the Labour Party
's constitution a year earlier, seen as a final rejection of a commitment to socialism. The SLP advocates the public ownership of leading industries - which had been privatised under Conservative Party
prime minister Margaret Thatcher
during the 1980s
, with the policy being maintained by her successor John Major
and then advocated by Labour Party leader Tony Blair in his re-write of Clause IV.
The party initially attracted trade union figures such as Mick Rix
and Bob Crow
.
Unlike all other far-left parties, the SLP advocates economic protectionism and is in favour of reopening the mines.
the party took about 3% of the vote in seats it stood in.
The Party managed to get its highest percentage share in any individual parliamentary constituency at the 2005 general election
when it gained 14.2% of the votes cast in Glasgow North East. However, the absence of a candidate in Glasgow North East from any of the larger parties except the Scottish National Party (following the convention that the main parties do not stand against a sitting Speaker of the House of Commons
) where Michael Martin
was re-standing, was a probably major factor in achieving its share of the vote. Some have suggested that the high vote was merely voter confusion since as is traditional for the Speaker of the House of Commons
, Michael Martin
was not listed as a member of the Labour party.
The Socialist Labour Party did not contest the 2004 European Elections, but fielded a full list of candidates for England, Scotland and Wales in the 2009 European Elections
, where it took 173,115 votes, or 1.1% of the national vote.
The Socialist Labour Party ran 23 candidates in the 2010 general election, who received a total of 7,196 votes, fewer than 0.1% of the UK national vote. All lost their deposits. The best results were those of Kai Andersen in Liverpool West Derby (614 votes - 1.7%) and Ken Capstick in Barnsley East (601 votes - 1.6%). In the local elections held on the same day, Andersen also received 244 votes
(4.2%) in the Croxteth ward of Liverpool.
practised by groups such as the Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee)
, the Revolutionary Democratic Group
, the Association of Communist Workers
, the International Bolshevik Tendency and the Economic and Philosophic Science Review
. Scargill's distrust of such organisations and dislike of Trotskyists resulted in expulsions described as the "voiding" of membership. Scargill was initially more willing to work with organisations such as the Economic and Philosophic Science Review group and the Fourth International Supporters Caucus although both groups were later expelled.
The SLP's difficulties have in part stemmed from a number of internal conflicts resulting in the resignation or expulsion of leading members. Ideological conflict between those members seeking to develop a rigid Marxist-Leninist
party and those committed to Scargill's original vision of a more leftist Labour Party grew more pronounced over time. This culminated in the expulsion of the pro-Stalin
group around Harpal Brar
who then formed the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
.
Far left
Far left, also known as the revolutionary left, radical left and extreme left are terms which refer to the highest degree of leftist positions among left-wing politics...
socialist political party in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The party is led by former trade union leader Arthur Scargill
Arthur Scargill
Arthur Scargill is a British politician who was President of the National Union of Mineworkers from 1982 to 2002, leading the union through the 1984–85 miners' strike, a key event in British labour and political history...
, who established it in 1996 as a breakaway from the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. Its name is a deliberate nod to the defunct Socialist Labour Party
Socialist Labour Party (UK, 1903)
The Socialist Labour Party was a socialist political party in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1903 as a splinter from the Social Democratic Federation by James Connolly, Neil Maclean and SDF members impressed with the politics of the American socialist Daniel De Leon, a Marxist...
led by James Connolly
James Connolly
James Connolly was an Irish republican and socialist leader. He was born in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, to Irish immigrant parents and spoke with a Scottish accent throughout his life. He left school for working life at the age of 11, but became one of the leading Marxist theorists of...
who was killed after the 1916 Irish Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
, a quotation from whom appears on the Socialist Labour Party website.
According to accounts filed for the year of 2010 with the Electoral Commission
Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)
The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. It regulates party and election finance and sets standards for well-run elections...
, the Socialist Labour Party had 3,260 members excluding affiliates. It had an income of around £14,200 and an expenditure of about £10,000.
Formation
Arthur Scargill formed the Socialist Labour Party in 1996 as a reaction to Tony BlairTony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
's rewrite of Clause IV
Clause IV
Clause IV historically refers to part of the 1918 text of the British Labour Party constitution which set out the aims and values of the party. Before its revision in 1995, its application was the subject of considerable dispute.-Text:...
in the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
's constitution a year earlier, seen as a final rejection of a commitment to socialism. The SLP advocates the public ownership of leading industries - which had been privatised under Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
prime minister Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
during the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
, with the policy being maintained by her successor John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
and then advocated by Labour Party leader Tony Blair in his re-write of Clause IV.
The party initially attracted trade union figures such as Mick Rix
Mick Rix
Mick Rix is a British trade unionist and politician.-Union career:Rix is the former General Secretary of ASLEF. Rix left school at 16, and started work the next day, with no qualifications...
and Bob Crow
Bob Crow
Robert Crow , who is better known as Bob Crow, is a British trade union leader, the General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and a member of the General Council of the TUC...
.
Unlike all other far-left parties, the SLP advocates economic protectionism and is in favour of reopening the mines.
Electoral performance
At the 2001 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
the party took about 3% of the vote in seats it stood in.
The Party managed to get its highest percentage share in any individual parliamentary constituency at the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
when it gained 14.2% of the votes cast in Glasgow North East. However, the absence of a candidate in Glasgow North East from any of the larger parties except the Scottish National Party (following the convention that the main parties do not stand against a sitting Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
) where Michael Martin
Michael Martin (politician)
Michael John Martin, Baron Martin of Springburn, PC is a British politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Glasgow Springburn from 1979 to 2005, and then for Glasgow North East until 2009...
was re-standing, was a probably major factor in achieving its share of the vote. Some have suggested that the high vote was merely voter confusion since as is traditional for the Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
, Michael Martin
Michael Martin (politician)
Michael John Martin, Baron Martin of Springburn, PC is a British politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Glasgow Springburn from 1979 to 2005, and then for Glasgow North East until 2009...
was not listed as a member of the Labour party.
The Socialist Labour Party did not contest the 2004 European Elections, but fielded a full list of candidates for England, Scotland and Wales in the 2009 European Elections
European Parliament election, 2009 (United Kingdom)
The European Parliament election was the United Kingdom's component of the 2009 European Parliament election, the voting for which was held on Thursday 4 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections in England. Most of the results of the election were announced on Sunday 7 June, after...
, where it took 173,115 votes, or 1.1% of the national vote.
The Socialist Labour Party ran 23 candidates in the 2010 general election, who received a total of 7,196 votes, fewer than 0.1% of the UK national vote. All lost their deposits. The best results were those of Kai Andersen in Liverpool West Derby (614 votes - 1.7%) and Ken Capstick in Barnsley East (601 votes - 1.6%). In the local elections held on the same day, Andersen also received 244 votes
(4.2%) in the Croxteth ward of Liverpool.
| Year | Candidates | Votes | % of total vote | % vote in contested seats | Saved deposits | Votes per candidate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 United Kingdom general election, 1997 The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general... |
65 | 52,516 | 0.17 | 1.78 | 3 | 808 |
| 2001 United Kingdom general election, 2001 The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats... |
114 | 57,289 | 0.22 | 1.40 | 1 | 503 |
| 2005 United Kingdom general election, 2005 The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160.... |
49 | 20,167 | 0.07 | 1.08 | 1 | 412 |
| 2010 | 23 | 7,196 | 0.02 | 0.77 | 0 | 313 |
2010 General Election results
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayshire Central | James McDaid | 422 | 1.0 |
| Ayrshire North and Arran | Louise McDaid | 449 | 1.0 |
| Barnsley Central | Terry Robinson | 356 | 1.0 |
| Barnsley East Barnsley East (UK Parliament constituency) Barnsley East is a Parliamentary constituency in South Yorkshire which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The seat was created as Barnsley East in 1983 and abolished to create Barnsley East and Mexborough in 1997... |
Ken Capstick | 601 | 1.6 |
| Birmingham Perry Barr | John Tyrrell | 527 | 1.3 |
| Blaenau Gwent Blaenau Gwent (UK Parliament constituency) Blaenau Gwent is a county constituency in South Wales, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :... |
Alyson O'Connell | 381 | 1.2 |
| Brighton Pavilion | Ian Fyvie | 148 | 0.3 |
| Camberwell and Peckham | Margaret Sharkey | 184 | 0.4 |
| Camborne and Redruth | Robert Hawkins | 169 | 0.4 |
| Derbyshire South | Paul Liversuch | 266 | 0.5 |
| Dunbartonshire West | Katharine McGavigan | 505 | 1.2 |
| Edingburgh North and Leith Edinburgh North and Leith (UK Parliament constituency) Edinburgh North and Leith is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom , first used in the 1997 general election. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.... |
David Jacobsen | 141 | 0.3 |
| Glasgow North East Glasgow North East (UK Parliament constituency) Glasgow North East is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It was first contested at the 2005 general election... |
Jim Berrington | 156 | 0.5 |
| Liverpool Wavertree | Kim Singleton | 200 | 0.5 |
| Liverpool West Derby | Kai Andersen | 614 | 1.7 |
| Manchester Central Manchester Central (UK Parliament constituency) Manchester Central is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. The constituency has always been a safe Labour seat... |
Ron Sinclair | 153 | 0.4 |
| Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (UK Parliament constituency) Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Boundaries :The main towns are Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney... |
Alan Cowdell | 195 | 0.6 |
| Newport East Newport East (UK Parliament constituency) Newport East is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:... |
Liz Screen | 123 | 0.4 |
| Plymouth Moor View | David Marchesi | 208 | 0.5 |
| Plymouth Sutton and Devonport | Robert Hawkins | 123 | 0.3 |
| Pontypridd Pontypridd (UK Parliament constituency) -Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:... |
Simon Parsons | 456 | 1.2 |
| St Helens North St Helens North (UK Parliament constituency) St. Helens North is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:... |
Stephen Whatham | 483 | 1.1 |
| Wolverhampton North East | Shangara Bhatoe | 337 | 1.0 |
Internal conflicts
The SLP suffered from the entryismEntryism
Entryism is a political tactic by which an organisation or state encourages its members or agents to infiltrate another organisation in an attempt to gain recruits, or take over entirely...
practised by groups such as the Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee)
Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee)
The Communist Party of Great Britain is a political group which publishes the Weekly Worker newspaper. The party favours the creation of a unified "Communist Party of the European Union"...
, the Revolutionary Democratic Group
Revolutionary Democratic Group
The Revolutionary Democratic Group is a socialist organisation in the United Kingdom. They were founded in the early 1980s as a split from London and Scottish branches of the Socialist Workers Party, of which, for many years, they considered themselves an "external faction".The ideological centre...
, the Association of Communist Workers
Association of Communist Workers
The Association of Communist Workers was an anti-revisionist political party in the United Kingdom.It originated in 1969 as a split from the Revolutionary Marxist-Leninist League around Harpal Brar. Initially regarded as Maoist, it spent time working in the women's movement through its "Union of...
, the International Bolshevik Tendency and the Economic and Philosophic Science Review
Economic and Philosophic Science Review
The Economic and Philosophic Science Review is a British socialist newspaper founded by Royston Bull, formerly a leading member of the Workers Revolutionary Party and industrial correspondent for The Scotsman newspaper....
. Scargill's distrust of such organisations and dislike of Trotskyists resulted in expulsions described as the "voiding" of membership. Scargill was initially more willing to work with organisations such as the Economic and Philosophic Science Review group and the Fourth International Supporters Caucus although both groups were later expelled.
The SLP's difficulties have in part stemmed from a number of internal conflicts resulting in the resignation or expulsion of leading members. Ideological conflict between those members seeking to develop a rigid Marxist-Leninist
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
party and those committed to Scargill's original vision of a more leftist Labour Party grew more pronounced over time. This culminated in the expulsion of the pro-Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
group around Harpal Brar
Harpal Brar
Harpal Brar is an Indian-born communist politician, writer and businessman based in Britain.Born in Muktsar, Punjab, British India, Brar has lived and worked in Britain since 1962, first as a student and lecturer in law at Harrow College of Higher Education , and later in the textile business...
who then formed the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
The Communist Party of Great Britain is a British communist party which has a close relationship with the Workers' Party of Korea.-History:The party was founded on July 3, 2004 in London...
.