The Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party, 19th May 1888
27 men met in Glasgow under the chairmanship of John Murdoch to organise a Labour Party in Scotland. The aims of the meeting were laid out by Keir Hardie, who had made the conference possible. Also present was the Rev. Geo. Brooks of the Christian Commonwealth. The meeting passed the following resolution unanimously,
“In the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a Parliamentary Labour Party should be formed in Scotland and we hereby appoint the following as a committee to arrange for a conference being held on the earliest possible date; Duncan McPherson, Keir Hardie, Charles Kennedy, George Mitchel and Robert Hutchison.”
The committee met on the 26th. of May 1888 calling for a conference of Trade Unions, Political Organisations and Societies working for the moral and social elevation of the people plus all people the committee deemed entitled. The meeting to be held in Glasgow on the 14th. of August 1888 followed by an open air demonstration on Glasgow Green on the same day, the aim, to form a Parliamentary Labour Party of Scotland.
The conference actually took place on the 25th. of August 1888 in the Waterloo Rooms in Glasgow and was chaired by R. B. Cunninghame-Graham. The constitution was drawn up;
- That the association be called the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party.
- That its object be to educate the people politically, and to secure the return to Parliament and all local bodies, of members pledged to its programme.
It had a programme of 15 sections, all of this was moved and seconded and so was born the Scottish Labour Party.
Posted by John Couzin
