Labour Front
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (May 2013) |
Labour Front | |
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Centre-left | |
The Labour Front was a political party in Singapore that operated from 1955 to 1960.
History
The Labour Front was founded to contest the
Between 1955 and 1956, after sending two
The Lim Yew Hock government did not fare any better. Apart from the threat of the underground communist movement, Singapore faced problems in public order, poor economy, poor housing and sanitation, low living standards and corruption in the government. The then-opposition People's Action Party (PAP), led by Lee Kuan Yew, grilled the Labour Front government several times on these issues in parliamentary sessions. Later the majority of the Labour Front led by Lim Yew Hock, left the Labour Front to merge with the Liberal Socialists (formed by the Progressive Party and Democratic Party in 1956) to form the Singapore People's Alliance (SPA) in 1959.
In 1957 and 1958, two bi-partisan delegations successfully negotiated Singapore's status to be a self-governing state.
In the 1959 elections the PAP won 43 of 51 seats in the parliament with a popular vote of 53% and having campaigned on an anti-colonial platform with an ambition to initiate several reforms, improve the economy and living standards of the people and to eradicate corruption in the government. The SPA lost power and was reduced to only a handful of seats in opposition, while the residual Labour Front was reduced to a very small percentage of the original party and was eventually dissolved in 1960.
Election results
Legislative Assembly of Singapore
Election | Seats up for election | Seats contested | Seats won | Change | Votes contested | Votes polled | Vote share | Swing | Contested vote share | Swing | Resulting Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1955 | 25 | 17 | 10 / 25
|
new party | 108,632 | 42,300 | 27.06% | new party | 38.94% | new party | Coalition Government with support from the Singapore Alliance |
1959 | 51 | 3 | 0 / 51
|
10 | 29,130 | 3,414 | 0.65% | 26.41% | 11.72% | 27.22% | Extra-Parliamentary |
Prominent Members
- David Saul Marshall, first Chief Minister, member of the first Legislative Assembly of Singapore representing Cairnhill[1][2][3]
- Lim Yew Hock, second Chief Minister, Minister for Labour and Welfare (1955–1959),[2] member of the second Legislative Council of Singapore representing Keppel,[4] member of the first Legislative Assembly of Singapore representing Havelock,[5][6] member of the second Legislative Assembly of Singapore representing Cairnhill[7][3]
- Francis Thomas, Minister for Communications and Works (1955–1959), Principal of St. Andrew's Secondary School (1963–1974)[2][8][9][10][11][12][13]
- Chew Swee Kee, Minister of Education (1955–1959), member of the first Legislative Assembly of Singapore representing Whampoa[16][17]
- Jumabhoy Mohamed Jumabhoy, Minister for Commerce and Industry (1955–1959), member of the first Legislative Assembly of Singapore representing Stamford,[18][2][3] President of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce (1978 - 1992)[19][20]
- Anthony Rebeiro Lazarous, member of the first Legislative Assembly of Singapore representing Farrer Park[21]
- Mak Pak Shee, member of the first Legislative Assembly of Singapore representing Geylang[22][23]
- Seah Peng Chuan, member of the first Legislative Assembly of Singapore representing Kampong Kapor[24][3][25][26]
- Tan Theng Chiang, member of the first Legislative Assembly of Singapore representing Rochore[27][25][26]
- Lee Choon Eng, member of the first Legislative Assembly of Singapore representing Queenstown[28][25][26][29]
References
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1955 > Cairnhill". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ a b c d e "Council of Ministers of Singapore, 1955 - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ a b c d e "Mr. David Marshall at the opening session of the Merdeka Talks in London in 1956 - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Council General Election 1951". www.singapore-elections.com. Archived from the original on 2020-07-27. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1955 > Havelock". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "A Labour Front (LF) electoral leaflet about Lim Yew Hock". www.roots.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1959 > Cairnhill". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Our School". standrewssec.moe.edu.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ Librarian, Rojak (2016-07-07). "Rojak Librarian: Francis Thomas (All Saints Memorial)". Rojak Librarian. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "PRESIDENT OF LABOUR FRONT FRANCIS THOMAS (RIGHT) AT A …". www.nas.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "My grandfather's road...really". www.asiaone.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "The Politics of Defeat". Ethos Books. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Memoirs of a Migrant". Ethos Books. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1955 > Katong". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ISBN 978-981-310-961-2.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1955 > Whampoa". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Portrait of Mr. Chew Swee Kee, Minister for Education - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1955 > Stamford". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Portrait of Mr. J.M. Jumabhoy, President of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Portrait of Mr. J.M. Jumabhoy, Minister for Commerce and Industry - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1955 > Farrer Park". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1955 > Geylang". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "MAK PAK SHEE, MEMBER OF THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY …". www.nas.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1955 > Kampong Kapor". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ a b c "For some reason, a large proportion of S'pore's ministers & opposition leaders have been Teochews". mothership.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ ISBN 978-981-323-937-1.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1955 > Rochore". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Singapore Legislative Assembly General Election 1955 > Queenstown". www.singapore-elections.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
- ^ "Lee Choon Eng, Member of Legislative Assembly under Rendel …". www.nas.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-06-27.