Convalescence: The General Council’s Party (1931–40)

Abstract

ON 25th August 1931 the T.U.C. and the extra-parliamentary party took control of the parliamentary party and disavowed the leadership of MacDonald. The main political crisis was over, so far as the Labour Party was concerned: but its consequences still had to be worked out. The parliamentary party’s Consultative Committee, which had been its liaison committee with the Labour Cabinet, held two meetings with the National Executive and the General Council of the T.U.C. before, on 28th August, a full meeting of the parliamentary party took place. And when the parliamentary party did meet, it met at Transport House, with the members of the General Council of the T.U.C. present. According to Dalton, this was ‘an innovation, suggested by Uncle [Henderson] to mark unity’.¹ One may suspect, however, that it was an innovation designed to preserve unity — by intimidating the waverers. Only one of the four Labour members of MacDonald’s new Cabinet attended: this was Lord Sankey, who was heard out respectfully but who won no support. Henderson was elected leader of the parliamentary party by an overwhelming majority.