Scottish Labour Party (1888)

MP in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, who later went on to become the first president of the Scottish National Party, and Keir Hardie, who later became the first leader of the Independent Labour Party and the Labour Party

radicals, and his movement gained the support of the Dundee Radical Association.^[2] Like many of the party's initial members, Hardie had previously been involved in the Scottish Land Restoration League

Shaw Maxwell and miners' leader Robert Smillie. However, the organised socialist movement was not initially involved; both the Social Democratic Federation and the Socialist League boycotted the event. The diverse factions had very different perspectives on the party's future, but were able to agree a programme, largely based on a draft by Hardie.^[3]

Charles Conybeare, held honorary offices in the party until January 1893.^[4] Following their departure, with many of the other radicals, the party declared itself in favour of socialism, and prohibited officials (but not other members) from dual membership with other political parties.^[5] The party ran two other candidates in 1892: J. Bennett Burleigh in Glasgow Tradeston and James MacDonald in Dundee. Attempts by Cunninghame Graham and Shaw Maxwell to arrange a non-contest pact with the Liberals failed, and the SLP candidates did not poll well.^[6]

Chisholm Robertson, presenting itself as a potential rival to the Scottish Labour Party. However, Champion's movement soon faded, while it did serve to move some trades councils to a position supporting independent labour candidates, and closer co-operation with the Scottish Labour Party.^[7]