ABSTRACT
In February 1900 the Labour Representation Committee was formed as a
vehicle to advance the interests of the trade union movement. It returned two
members of parliament at that year’s general election, increasing its repre-
sentation to 29 in the election of 1906. Immediately thereafter it changed its
name to the Labour Party. On 12th February 1906, the newly elected MPs
met in committee room 12 of the House of Commons for the party’s inau-
gural meeting, electing Keir Hardie as Chairman by a single vote on a second ballot. They met again the following day to agree the priorities,
upon which the party propose to draft Bills or Motions: trades disputes;
women’s suffrage; canals nationalisation; unemployed amendment act;
compensation act; steam enginemen’s boiler bill; mines – employment
of boys; women’s local government; mines regulations; miners’ eight hours;
taxation of land values; child feeding; old age pensions; housing; shops bill.4
Issues of foreign policy or war and peace were absent.
