British Labour Party Papers, 1968-1994 - Key Data

The Labour Party was founded in 1900 to represent the interests of trade unions and working-class voters. In political terms, it has often been characterised as a “broad church”, encompassing a range of left and centre-left viewpoints. 

This collection contains minutes of party meetings, Liaison Committee meetings, and Parliamentary Committee (Shadow Cabinet) meetings compiled by the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) during the period 1948-1994. These minutes cover a turbulent era in the party’s history, from the Harold Wilson and James Callaghan governments to years in opposition under Michael Foot, Neil Kinnock, John Smith, and Tony Blair.   

The minutes provide an insight into the party’s often divided outlook on several important domestic and international political issues, including: nationalisation of key industries; Britain’s trade deficit; nuclear disarmament; Britain’s membership of the European Economic Community (EEC) and European Union (EU); Northern Ireland; the Falklands War; the miner’s strike; how to respond to Margaret Thatcher’s premiership; the balance of power within the party between members, trade unions, and MPs; and the emergence of New Labour and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).