ABSTRACT
In the new Parliament of 1906, the Labour Members had one perfectly clear mandate from the voters who had sent them to the House of Commons. In many respects the policy of the Labour Party was undefined, and it was difficult to distinguish between Liberal and Labour professions, but on the issues raised by the Taff Vale Judgment the Labour M.P.s were in no doubt concerning the wishes of those whom they represented. The Trade Union leaders saw very clearly that the Bill introduced by the Government, embodying this specious proposal, would in practice leave the Union funds at the mercy of the courts of law. In 1906 trade was relatively good; and Keir Hardie’s efforts to secure better treatment for the unemployed met with little success. All that could be got from the Government was a grant of £200,000 to the local relief committees set up under the Unemployed Workmen Act of 1905.
