Labour Representation League

The Labour Representation League (LRL), organised in November 1869, was a forerunner of the British Labour Party. Its original purpose was to register the working class to vote, and get workers into Parliament.^[1] It had limited power, described by Eugenio Biagini as being "very weak and quite ineffective",^[2] and was never intended to become a full political party. However, it played a role in supporting the election of Lib-Lab MPs. The first secretary was Cooperative Society activist and trade unionist, Lloyd Jones.^[3]

In 1873, the League provided the following address to its supporters:

We urge you to organize in your several constituencies, not as mere consenting parties to the doings of local wirepullers, but as a great Labour party – a party which knows its strength, and is prepared to fight and win.^[4]

In 1874, the League fielded twelve candidates and won two parliamentary seats.^[5][6]

In 1886, the TUC created the Labour Electoral Association to replace the League; in turn, this led to the creation of the Labour Party.^[6]

A volume containing the press cuttings, circulars and correspondence from 1873 to 1878 is archived at the London School of Economics library.^[5]