Northern Ireland Labour Party
Encyclopedia
The Northern Ireland Labour Party (NILP) was an Irish political party which operated from 1924 until 1987.
In 1913 the British Labour Party
resolved to give the recently formed Irish Labour Party exclusive organising rights in Ireland
(the 1907 conference of the British party had been held in Belfast
). This decision was not popular with the trade union
s in Belfast, where skilled and organised workers tended to be Protestant and broadly Unionist (or at least anti-Nationalist) in outlook.
the NILP was founded as a socialist political party by groups including the Belfast Labour Party
and found its main bed of support amongst working class
voters in Belfast. It initially declined to take a position on the "Border Question" and instead sought to offer itself as an alternative to both nationalism and unionism. It maintained relations with the British Labour Party
who did not allow membership or organisation in Northern Ireland until 2004.
In the 1925 Northern Ireland General Election the party secured 3 seats in Belfast including William McMullen
elected in West Belfast as well as Sam Kyle
(Belfast North) and Jack Beattie
(Belfast East), this was the last election for the Northern Ireland Parliament using Proportional Representation
.
The party had a Westminster Member of Parliament
on only one occasion, when Jack Beattie
won the Belfast West by-election, 1943
, retained the seat in 1945, but lost it in 1949. He regained the seat as an Irish Labour Party candidate in 1951.
In 1949, following the declaration of a Republic in the south, the Northern Ireland Labour Party's conference voted in favour of the Union with Great Britain
. The result was a sharp decline in the party's already limited electoral success, as Catholic
voters deserted, and the Irish Labour Party attempted to organise in Northern Ireland. An earlier refusal to adopt this policy had split the party, with leader Harry Midgley
forming his own strongly Unionist Commonwealth Labour Party
.
Later in the 1950s, the party began to gain ground amongst unionist voters, and after the breakup of the Irish Labour Party's new attempts to organise in Northern Ireland amongst some nationalists, it saw its greatest period of success between 1958 and 1965. Four NILP MPs were elected to Stormont in 1958 for Belfast constituencies: Tom Boyd (Cromac), Billy Boyd (Woodvale), Vivian Simpson (Oldpark), and David Bleakley (Victoria). The NILP then became the official opposition at Stormont.
Success came despite continued divisions, over such matters as Sunday Observance - two NILP Belfast councillors voted to close the city's park playgrounds on Sundays (as demanded by hard line Calvinists but opposed by Catholics) and were expelled as a result.
, new parties emerged that appealed to the party's support base, including the Social Democratic and Labour Party
(SDLP), the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
and the Democratic Unionist Party
. Once again the polarisation of politics around partition deprived the party of a critical mass.
Brian Faulkner
appointed NILP Stormont MP David Bleakley
to his Cabinet as Minister of Community Relations, in an attempt to bring reforms to Northern Ireland. However, the following year the Stormont Parliament was suspended when it resisted the London government request to take over responsibility for public order. In the 1973 referendum on the border
, the NILP campaigned for Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom. David Bleakley was elected to the 1973 Assembly and 1975 Forum for East Belfast.
The Northern Ireland Labour Party continued to contest elections but with a dwindling support base.
(formed in 1985 by former SDLP leader Paddy Devlin
), the Ulster Liberal Party
and the United Labour Party
to form the Labour '87 group. This group also gained the support of the Newtownabbey Labour Party
. They contested local elections and Mark Langhammer
contested the 1989 European Elections unsuccessfully.
In 1913 the British Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
resolved to give the recently formed Irish Labour Party exclusive organising rights in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(the 1907 conference of the British party had been held in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
). This decision was not popular with the trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s in Belfast, where skilled and organised workers tended to be Protestant and broadly Unionist (or at least anti-Nationalist) in outlook.
After Partition
After partitionPartition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
the NILP was founded as a socialist political party by groups including the Belfast Labour Party
Belfast Labour Party
The Belfast Labour Party was a political party in Belfast, Ireland from 1892 until 1924.The first socialist party in Ireland, it was founded in 1892, affiliated to the British Labour Representation Committee in 1900 and remained attached to the UK Labour Party which subsequently evolved.Labour ran...
and found its main bed of support amongst working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
voters in Belfast. It initially declined to take a position on the "Border Question" and instead sought to offer itself as an alternative to both nationalism and unionism. It maintained relations with the British Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
who did not allow membership or organisation in Northern Ireland until 2004.
In the 1925 Northern Ireland General Election the party secured 3 seats in Belfast including William McMullen
William McMullen
William McMullen , sometimes known as Billy McMullen, was an Irish trade unionist and politician.Born into a Protestant family in Belfast, McMullen began working in the shipyards and became an active trade unionist...
elected in West Belfast as well as Sam Kyle
Sam Kyle
Sam Kyle was an Irish trade unionist and politician.Born into a Protestant family in Belfast, Kyle joined the Independent Labour Party. He became an active trade unionist, and at the 1918 UK general election, he stood in Belfast Shankill for the Belfast Labour Representation Committee...
(Belfast North) and Jack Beattie
Jack Beattie
Jack Beattie was a politician from Northern Ireland.He was a teacher by profession. He joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party . In 1925, he became a Member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons for Belfast East. He represented Belfast Pottinger from 1929...
(Belfast East), this was the last election for the Northern Ireland Parliament using Proportional Representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
.
The party had a Westminster Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
on only one occasion, when Jack Beattie
Jack Beattie
Jack Beattie was a politician from Northern Ireland.He was a teacher by profession. He joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party . In 1925, he became a Member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons for Belfast East. He represented Belfast Pottinger from 1929...
won the Belfast West by-election, 1943
Belfast West by-election, 1943
The Belfast West by-election 1943, was a by-election held on 9 February 1943 for the British House of Commons constituency of Belfast West, in Northern Ireland...
, retained the seat in 1945, but lost it in 1949. He regained the seat as an Irish Labour Party candidate in 1951.
In 1949, following the declaration of a Republic in the south, the Northern Ireland Labour Party's conference voted in favour of the Union with Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The result was a sharp decline in the party's already limited electoral success, as Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
voters deserted, and the Irish Labour Party attempted to organise in Northern Ireland. An earlier refusal to adopt this policy had split the party, with leader Harry Midgley
Harry Midgley
Henry Cassidy Midgley, PC , known as Harry Midgley was a prominent politician in Northern Ireland. Born to a unionist family in Belfast, he worked in the textile industry before joining the Royal Engineers during World War I....
forming his own strongly Unionist Commonwealth Labour Party
Commonwealth Labour Party
The Commonwealth Labour Party was a minor political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1942 by Harry Midgley, former leader of the Northern Ireland Labour Party , in order to pursue his brand of labour unionism....
.
Later in the 1950s, the party began to gain ground amongst unionist voters, and after the breakup of the Irish Labour Party's new attempts to organise in Northern Ireland amongst some nationalists, it saw its greatest period of success between 1958 and 1965. Four NILP MPs were elected to Stormont in 1958 for Belfast constituencies: Tom Boyd (Cromac), Billy Boyd (Woodvale), Vivian Simpson (Oldpark), and David Bleakley (Victoria). The NILP then became the official opposition at Stormont.
Success came despite continued divisions, over such matters as Sunday Observance - two NILP Belfast councillors voted to close the city's park playgrounds on Sundays (as demanded by hard line Calvinists but opposed by Catholics) and were expelled as a result.
The Troubles
However with the onset of the TroublesThe Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
, new parties emerged that appealed to the party's support base, including the Social Democratic and Labour Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
(SDLP), the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
and the Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
. Once again the polarisation of politics around partition deprived the party of a critical mass.
In Government 1971
In 1971 the new Prime Minister of Northern IrelandPrime Minister of Northern Ireland
The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was the de facto head of the Government of Northern Ireland. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920. However the Lord Lieutenant, as with Governors-General in other Westminster Systems such as in Canada, chose to appoint someone...
Brian Faulkner
Brian Faulkner
Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
appointed NILP Stormont MP David Bleakley
David Bleakley
The Right Hon. David Bleakley, OBE is a politician in Northern Ireland.Born in the Strandtown district of Belfast, Bleakley worked as an electrician in the Harland and Wolff dockyards while becoming increasingly active in his trade union. He studied economics at Ruskin College in Oxford, where he...
to his Cabinet as Minister of Community Relations, in an attempt to bring reforms to Northern Ireland. However, the following year the Stormont Parliament was suspended when it resisted the London government request to take over responsibility for public order. In the 1973 referendum on the border
Northern Ireland referendum, 1973
The Northern Ireland sovereignty referendum of 1973 was a referendum held in Northern Ireland on 8 March 1973 on whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom or join with the Republic of Ireland to form a united Ireland...
, the NILP campaigned for Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom. David Bleakley was elected to the 1973 Assembly and 1975 Forum for East Belfast.
The Northern Ireland Labour Party continued to contest elections but with a dwindling support base.
Labour '87
In 1987 the remains of the party merged with Labour Party of Northern IrelandLabour Party of Northern Ireland
The Labour Party of Northern Ireland is a political party in Northern Ireland, formed in 1985 by a group around Paddy Devlin, a former Social Democratic and Labour Party councillor and Northern Ireland Assembly member, and Billy Blease, a member of the British House of Lords.-Progress:In 1987, the...
(formed in 1985 by former SDLP leader Paddy Devlin
Paddy Devlin
Paddy Devlin was a Northern Irish social democrat and Labour activist, a former Stormont MP, a founder of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and a member of the 1974 Power Sharing Executive.-Early life:...
), the Ulster Liberal Party
Ulster Liberal Party
The Ulster Liberal Party was a liberal political party in Northern Ireland, supporting a unionist position and linked to the British Liberal Party....
and the United Labour Party
United Labour Party (Northern Ireland)
The United Labour Party was a minor political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded by Paddy Devlin in 1978 with the aim of being a broad based Labour formation, as opposed to the Northern Ireland Labour Party, which primarily drew its support from Protestants, and the Social Democratic and...
to form the Labour '87 group. This group also gained the support of the Newtownabbey Labour Party
Newtownabbey Labour Party
The Newtownabbey Labour Party is a minor political party based in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland.The party originated as the Newtownabbey branch of the Northern Ireland Labour Party. It left its parent organisation in the 1970s...
. They contested local elections and Mark Langhammer
Mark Langhammer
Mark Langhammer is a trade unionist, employed as Director of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers and elected onto the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in 2008, being re-elected in 2010...
contested the 1989 European Elections unsuccessfully.
Leaders of the Northern Ireland Labour Party at Stormont
- 1925 - 29: Samuel Kyle
- 1929 - 33: Jack BeattieJack BeattieJack Beattie was a politician from Northern Ireland.He was a teacher by profession. He joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party . In 1925, he became a Member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons for Belfast East. He represented Belfast Pottinger from 1929...
- 1933 - 38: Harry MidgleyHarry MidgleyHenry Cassidy Midgley, PC , known as Harry Midgley was a prominent politician in Northern Ireland. Born to a unionist family in Belfast, he worked in the textile industry before joining the Royal Engineers during World War I....
- 1938 - 42: Paddy AgnewPaddy Agnew (Stormont MP)Paddy Agnew was a politician in Northern Ireland.Agnew was brought up a Roman Catholic and held nationalist views. However his politics were also leaning towards labourism, and he had clashes with more conservative Catholic politicians....
- 1942 - 43: Jack BeattieJack BeattieJack Beattie was a politician from Northern Ireland.He was a teacher by profession. He joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party . In 1925, he became a Member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons for Belfast East. He represented Belfast Pottinger from 1929...
- 1943 - 45: Paddy AgnewPaddy Agnew (Stormont MP)Paddy Agnew was a politician in Northern Ireland.Agnew was brought up a Roman Catholic and held nationalist views. However his politics were also leaning towards labourism, and he had clashes with more conservative Catholic politicians....
- 1945 - 49: Hugh Downey, Dock Ward, Belfast
- 1958 - 69: Tom BoydTom Boyd (politician)Tom Boyd was a politician and trade unionist in Northern Ireland.After studying at Belfast Technical College and Queen's University, Belfast, Boyd became prominent in the United Patternmakers' Association...
- 1969 - 73: Vivian SimpsonVivian SimpsonFrederick Vivian Simpson, known as Vivian Simpson was a politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Dublin, Simpson worked as a draper and footwear manufacturer, and also became a lay preacher....