Democratic Labour Party (New Zealand)
Democratic Labour Party | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | DLP |
Founded | 1940 |
Dissolved | 1949 |
Split from | Labour Party |
Ideology | Democratic socialism Social credit |
Political position | Left-wing |
The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) was a
Party history
The Democratic Labour Party originated in the internal disputes within the first Labour Party government, which lasted from 1935 to 1949. The division was primarily between moderates, such as Michael Joseph Savage, Peter Fraser, and Walter Nash, and radicals like Lee. Lee and his allies criticised the "cautious" approach taken by the party's leadership, and advocated a considerably stronger policy line. Lee's views were a mixture of conventional
In 1940, after a long period of rebellion against the Labour Party leadership, Lee was finally expelled from the party. He quickly moved to establish the Democratic Labour Party. One other MP, Bill Barnard, joined him[2] as well as former Labour MP Horace Herring and at least one other, Rex Mason, gave serious consideration to joining. Former MP John Payne was also sympathetic.
When Savage died, Fraser was tipped to succeed him as Prime Minister. During the ensuing leadership election, two of his dissident opponents, Gervan McMillan and Clyde Carr were Lee sympathizers. Even those openly loyal to the party were divided.[3] However, Fraser did win and Labour stayed on its moderate platform for his decade long spell as party leader.[4]
Before long, however, internal tensions developed in the new party, with Barnard accusing Lee of behaving in an
In the
Barnard stood for re-election as an independent rather than a DLP candidate, but was also defeated. The Democratic Labour Party received only 4.3% of the total vote, and ceased to exist in 1947.[2]
The party did not stand any candidates in the 1946 general election, but Lee again stood as a DLP candidate in the 1949 general election for the Grey Lynn electorate and got 2,627 votes, coming third.
References
- ISBN 0-14-029793-6.
- ^ a b c McLintock, A. H. (1966). "DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ^ Heydon, Susan. "McMillan, David Gervan - Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
- ^ Beaglehole, Tim. "Fraser, Peter - Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
- ^ Evening Post (Wellington) 24 September 1943 & Archives file R18871853
See also
- The Lee Affair
- Category:Democratic Labour Party (New Zealand) politicians