The Labour party

The Labour Party is less disciplined but more democratic, with more open disagreements between the leadership and other party members. Labour is the party of social justice, though its emphasis is less on equality than on the achievement of well being and opportunity for all members of society. It tends to put the collective well being of society above individual freedom, in the economic sphere at any rate. Traditionally it has been committed to public owner­ship of major industries (nationalization) and to economic planning. By 1990 and later its politics had moved towards the centre so that in many aspects they were hardly different from those of the Liberal Democrats. It has now accepted more use of market forces and less central control; it encourages diversity, individual enterprise, decentralized economic organization. And contrary to its earlier policies now it fully supports Britain's membership in the European Community as essential to the country's political and economic future.

The trade union movement, which founded the Labour Party, remains influential in the evolution of party policy. Out of 6 mln party electorate votes 5,7 belong to the unions.

History of the Labour Party is different from that of the Conservative and Liberal parties.

The Labour Party was founded outside Parliament, stimulated by work of socialist propagandists and trade unions. Its aim was to protect legal rights of the unions, to promote legislation in the direct interests of Labour through working-class representatives in Parliament. In 1900 when the Party was formed, its name was the Labour Representative Committee. In 1906 it was renamed into Labour. At its first stages the party collaborated with the Liberal Party making an unofficial alliance with it which was known as «Lib. Lab» policy. This collaboration lasted till the Labour Party itself was strong enough to become one of the main Parliamentary parties.

By its officially stated ideas and purposes the par­ty has claimed to be progressive. Its central ideal has been the brotherhood of men. It has rejected discrim­ination on grounds of race or colour, it has defended the right of all peoples to freedom, independence and self-government, it has supported the work for world disarmament, it has affirmed the duty of richer na­tions to assist poorer ones, it stood for social justice and the creation of the socialist community with a classless society and with planned economy. It claims to obtain and hold power only through free democrat­ic institutions, by reforms.

The party has always been unique as it comprises collective members which are trade unions, small par­ties, different social organizations and groups. The proportion of individual members of the party is com­paratively small.

The Labour Government undertook some steps to improve the life of the working people. In the 1960s it increased old-age pensions, abolished fees for some medical services, introduced comprehensive schools, which admit pupils without insultive 11 + exams, and nationalized some important industries. But by and by the policy of the Labours has been shifting rightwards coming closer to that of the Conservatives.

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