The Trade Union Group of Labour MPs is a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

group of all Labour Members of Parliament who are members of trade unions that are affiliated to the

British Labour Party The Labour Party, often referred to as Labour, is a List of political parties in the United Kingdom, political party in the United Kingdom that sits on the Centre-left politics, centre-left of the political spectrum. The party has been describe ...

. The group is a vehicle for promoting the voices of the trade unions in Parliament. The group meets regularly to discuss issues related to trade unions, keeping members informed via a web-based bulletin.

History

The group was founded in 1926, in response to the increasing number of non-trade union sponsored MPs in the Labour Party. In 1929, the

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union center, national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions that collectively represent most unionised workers in England and Wales. There are 48 affiliated unions with a total of ...

(TUC) became unhappy with the line of the Labour government on unemployment, and so it reformed the group in an attempt to put pressure on it. At the

1931 UK general election The 1931 United Kingdom general election was held on Tuesday, 27 October 1931. It saw a landslide election victory for the National Government, a three-party coalition which had been formed two months previously after the collapse of the secon ...

, almost all the Labour MPs were sponsored, so the group was suspended. The group was revived in 1937, on a far more professional basis. It began liaising closely with the TUC, holding its own meetings after each meeting of the

General Council of the TUC The General Council of the Trades Union Congress is an elected body which is responsible for carrying out the policies agreed at the annual British Trades Union Congresses (TUC). Organisation The council has 56 members, all of whom must be proposed ...

. It focused on discussion and information sharing, also bringing in visiting speakers from trade unions around the world, but did not attempt to lobby for any particular policies. The group ceased operating again during World War II, and was not revived until 1954. focused on supporting the party's leadership against critics, often those on the left wing of the trade union movement. It also played a minor role in promoting industrial policies, and the role of working class experience in the party. It first played a leading role in opposing a specific policy when ''

In Place of Strife ''In Place of Strife'' ( Cmnd 3888) was a UK Government white paper written in 1969. It was a proposed act to use the law to reduce the power of trade unions in the United Kingdom, but was never passed into law. The title of the paper was a rewor ...

'' was published, the trade unions concerned it was a threat to

collective bargaining Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and labour rights, rights for ...

. It then led opposition to the Conservative Party's Industrial Relations Bill. In the 1980s, the Trade Union Group became less important, becoming divided over the best line to take on industrial policy, and seeing splits between an increasing number of left-wing former manual workers, the traditional right, and those sponsored MPs without an industrial background. It focused on organising meetings and arranging speakers.

Ian Lavery Ian Lavery (born 6 January 1963) is a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Blyth and Ashington (UK Parliament constituency), Blyth and Ashingto ...

, MP for Wansbeck, is the current Chair of the group. Katy Clark, MP for North Ayrshire and Arran, is its Secretary.
A Guide to Trade Union and Labour Party Links p8

Leadership

Secretaries

:1924: Thomas Mardy Jones :c.1930: Joseph Gibbins :1931: ''Post vacant'' :1937: Rhys Davies :1939: ''Post vacant'' :1953:

Charles Pannell Thomas Charles Pannell, Baron Pannell, PC (10 September 1902 – 23 March 1980) was a British Labour Party politician. He entered local politics in the outer London suburbs: he was a member of Walthamstow Borough Council from 1929 to 1936 ...

:1964: Neil McBride :1966: Edwin Wainwright :1983: Don Dixon :1996: Gerry Sutcliffe :1998: Ian Davidson :2001: Frank Doran :2015: Katy Clark :2015:

Jo Stevens Joanna Meriel Stevens (born 6 September 1966) is a Welsh politician serving as Secretary of State for Wales since 2024. A member of the Labour Party, she has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 2015, representing Cardiff East since 20 ...

:2024:

Anneliese Midgley Anneliese Midgley is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Knowsley since 2024. Early life Midgeley was born in Stockbridge Village. She attended Brookside Community School. Career Her first job was ...

Chairs

:1924:

Ben Tillett Benjamin Tillett (11 September 1860 – 27 January 1943) was a British socialist, trade union leader and politician. He was a leader of the "new unionism" of 1889, that focused on organizing unskilled workers. He played a major role in foundin ...

:1926: David Watts Morgan :1931: ''Post vacant'' :1937:

William Dobbie Lieutenant General Sir William George Shedden Dobbie, (12 July 1879 – 3 October 1964) was a British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and the First and Second World Wars. Early life William was born in Madras to a civil servan ...

:1939: ''Post vacant'' :1954:

George Brown George Brown may refer to: Arts and entertainment * George Loring Brown (1814–1889), American landscape painter * George Douglas Brown (1869–1902), Scottish novelist * George Williams Brown (1894–1963), Canadian historian and editor * Ge ...

:1964:

Ness Edwards Ness Edwards (5 April 1897 – 3 May 1968) was a trade unionist and Welsh Labour Party politician: he served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Caerphilly from July 1939 until his death. He was born in Abertillery, Monmouthshire, Wales, th ...

:1969:

James Hamilton James Hamilton may refer to: Dukes *James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton (1606–1649), heir to the throne of Scotland *James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton (1658–1712), Scottish nobleman *James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton (1703–1743), Sco ...

:1971:

Eric Varley Eric Graham Varley, Baron Varley, (11 August 1932 – 29 July 2008) was a British Labour Party politician and cabinet minister on the right-wing of the party. He was the Member of Parliament for Chesterfield from 1964 to 1984. Early life Eri ...

:1974: Tom Urwin :1980s: :1994:

David Clelland David Gordon Clelland (born 27 June 1943) is a British Labour Party politician. He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Tyne Bridge from the 1985 by-election until the 2010 general election. Early life Clelland was born in Gateshead an ...

:1997: :2002:

Tony Lloyd Sir Anthony Joseph Lloyd (25 February 1950 – 17 January 2024) was a British Labour politician. He served as a member of Parliament (MP) for 36 years, making him one of the longest-serving MPs in recent history. He served as MP for Stretfo ...

:2012:

References

Organisations associated with the Labour Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) trade unions Labour Party (UK) MPs Groups of British MPs 1926 establishments in the United Kingdom {{Socialism-stub