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Lib–Lab pact
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Lib–Lab pact
In British politics, a Lib–Lab pact is a working arrangement between the Liberal Democrats (in previous times, the Liberal Party) and the Labour Party.
There have been four such arrangements, and one alleged proposal, at the national level. In many local councils in the UK there are similar arrangements, although there are also arrangements where the Lib Dems and Labour oppose each other and instead form a local alliance with another party or with independent councillors.
Before the Labour Party had been formed, various candidates stood for Parliament with backing from both the Liberal Party and the Labour Representation League; these included Thomas Burt, Harry Broadhurst and Alexander Macdonald. These MPs were referred to as "Lib–Lab", although there was not a formal pact.
This agreement eventually fell apart with the formation of the Independent Labour Party and the Labour Representation Committee.
In 1903, an agreement was made between Herbert Gladstone (then Chief Whip of the Liberal Party) and Ramsay MacDonald (Secretary of the Labour Representation Committee) that, in thirty constituencies, the Labour Party and the Liberal Party would not stand against each other, and thus would avoid the risk of splitting their vote. As a result of this agreement, in contests against the Conservative Party, 29 Labour MPs were returned at the 1906 general election.
At the 1923 general election, both parties campaigned on the issue of free trade. The Conservative Party, which had campaigned to introduce protective tariffs, lost its parliamentary majority but remained the largest party in the House of Commons. The Liberals agreed to enable the formation of the first Labour minority government in 1924, under the leadership of Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. The minority government lasted a little over nine months; Conservative Stanley Baldwin succeeded MacDonald as Prime Minister.
At the 1929 general election, Labour won the greatest number of seats, but did not have a parliamentary majority. The now-much-weakened Liberals allowed the formation of the second Labour government by not aligning with the Conservatives to defeat the new government.
In March 1977, the Labour government – lacking a majority following a by-election defeat – faced a motion of no confidence. In order to remain in office, Prime Minister James Callaghan approached the Liberal Party, at the time led by David Steel. Former Foreign Secretary Callaghan had been Prime Minister for just one year, having succeeded Harold Wilson who had led Labour to a three-seat majority at the October 1974 general election.
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Lib–Lab pact
In British politics, a Lib–Lab pact is a working arrangement between the Liberal Democrats (in previous times, the Liberal Party) and the Labour Party.
There have been four such arrangements, and one alleged proposal, at the national level. In many local councils in the UK there are similar arrangements, although there are also arrangements where the Lib Dems and Labour oppose each other and instead form a local alliance with another party or with independent councillors.
Before the Labour Party had been formed, various candidates stood for Parliament with backing from both the Liberal Party and the Labour Representation League; these included Thomas Burt, Harry Broadhurst and Alexander Macdonald. These MPs were referred to as "Lib–Lab", although there was not a formal pact.
This agreement eventually fell apart with the formation of the Independent Labour Party and the Labour Representation Committee.
In 1903, an agreement was made between Herbert Gladstone (then Chief Whip of the Liberal Party) and Ramsay MacDonald (Secretary of the Labour Representation Committee) that, in thirty constituencies, the Labour Party and the Liberal Party would not stand against each other, and thus would avoid the risk of splitting their vote. As a result of this agreement, in contests against the Conservative Party, 29 Labour MPs were returned at the 1906 general election.
At the 1923 general election, both parties campaigned on the issue of free trade. The Conservative Party, which had campaigned to introduce protective tariffs, lost its parliamentary majority but remained the largest party in the House of Commons. The Liberals agreed to enable the formation of the first Labour minority government in 1924, under the leadership of Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. The minority government lasted a little over nine months; Conservative Stanley Baldwin succeeded MacDonald as Prime Minister.
At the 1929 general election, Labour won the greatest number of seats, but did not have a parliamentary majority. The now-much-weakened Liberals allowed the formation of the second Labour government by not aligning with the Conservatives to defeat the new government.
In March 1977, the Labour government – lacking a majority following a by-election defeat – faced a motion of no confidence. In order to remain in office, Prime Minister James Callaghan approached the Liberal Party, at the time led by David Steel. Former Foreign Secretary Callaghan had been Prime Minister for just one year, having succeeded Harold Wilson who had led Labour to a three-seat majority at the October 1974 general election.