ABSTRACT
After the electoral defeat of 1924 the Labour Party settled down to a new period of opposition and preparation. The immediate aftermath of the General Strike was the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act of 1927—a vindictive law enacted by the Conservatives for the purpose not only of curbing strike action and Trade Union bargaining power, but also of crippling the Labour Party by hitting at the main source of its funds. The Birmingham Labour Party Conference of 1928 spent a large part of its time debating Labour and the Nation, first in general terms and then in a series of discussions on the particular sections. Between 1924 and 1929 by-elections brought the Labour Party a net gain often seats, raising the number of Labour M.P.s from 152 to 162. The composition of the Labour Party was considerably changed, in respect of the balance between Trade Union, Socialist,and Divisional Labour Party representation.
