Labour Party

*"We are not just here to manage capitalism but to change society and to define its finer values.”* - **Tony Benn**

The **Labour Party** is a broad left-wing party in the Model House of Commons. It is the second largest party and currently the Official Opposition. It is considered one of the 'big two' parties, along with the Conservative Party, and is often in government.

## History of the Labour Party

The Labour Party were one of the founding parties of the Model House of Commons (MHoC). In earlier eras, Labour tended to be a smaller party than it is today and faced strong opposition from the more popular Liberal Democrats (now the Liberal Party) and the Socialist Party. Nevertheless, it has always had at least seven seats in the parliament; and, with recent peaks of fifteen seats, it has leapfrogged its rivals to become the dominant party of the TSR Left.

They first featured in government as the coalition partner to the Monster Raving Loony Party during the Fifth Parliament, largely helped by the failure of the Conservatives to contest the election and the antipathy of the Monster Raving Loony Party towards the Liberal Democrats. These roles were reversed during the Sixth Parliament when Labour for the first time emerged as the largest party, and formed a Labour-Monster Raving Loony Party government, with Randdom becoming Labour's first Prime Minister. Now an accepted party of government, Labour became a coalition partner to the Liberal Democrats in the Seventh Parliament, but left office in the Eighth Parliament due to the rise of the Socialist Party, who for the first time became the largest left-wing party and by refusing to countenance a coalition allowed the Conservatives to form a minority government.

Labour remained the smallest left-wing party during the Ninth Parliament, but attempted to launch a coalition offer with the Liberal Democrats and the Socialist Party which was rebuffed by the Conservatives during the constitutional crisis. During the Tenth Parliament, Labour managed to reassert itself as the secondary left-wing party after the Liberal Democrats, defeating the Socialist Party convincingly and retaining a narrow lead over them into the Eleventh Parliament. This put them in prime position to pick up the left-wing vote following the electoral collapse of the Liberal Democrats in the Twelfth Parliament and onwards.

In recent years, Labour have been much more successful, and arguably have been the most dominant party in the House since the Thirteenth Parliament, uniting much of the left-wing vote and placing as the largest party in five consecutive elections, an unmatched record. They have been the main party of government in every Parliament since the Thirteenth, with the exception of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth, both where poor activity forced them into opposition despite having a plurality of seats.

In the Thirteenth Parliament and the Fourteenth Parliament Labour's main coalition partner was the Liberal Democrats, but a leftwards shift in the Labour Party saw them form a coalition with the Independent Addzter and the Socialist Party for the Sixteenth Parliament. The Labour Party was in opposition for the Eighteenth Parliament in a coalition with the Greens, having missed out on Government despite again gaining the most votes in the election after the Liberal Party dropped out of the agreement at the eleventh hour to instead work with the Conservatives and UKIP.

However, the Labour Party succeeded in gaining control of the Nineteenth Parliament, through a coalition between themselves, the Socialists and the Greens. That Bearded Man led a pan-left coalition whose greatest achievement was abolishing the monarchy. In the Twentieth Parliament Labour lost seats, making them the second party in a "traffic-light coalition" with the Greens and Liberals. This was the first Government to be headed by a Green Prime Minister.

In the Twenty-first Parliament, Labour, after obtaining its highest ever number of seats in the general election, formed a coalition with the Liberals which collapsed in July 2015 because of intense internal conflict, leading to the formation of a minority Labour government which was swiftly VoNCed, leaving Labour in opposition until the successor coalition's collapse let to government and opposition being suspended for the remainder of term.

After the October 2015 general election they went into coalition with the Liberals once again, an arrangement which endured until the end of the Twenty-second Parliament. In April 2016 Labour became the second-largest party in the MHoC, choosing not to seek to go into coalition and instead forming the Official Opposition. After two by-election wins in the space of a month during the Twenty-third Parliament, the Labour Party overtook the Conservative Party as the largest party, with 14 to the Tories 13. Labour formed the Official Opposition led by RayApparently who took over for a second time after Quamquam123 resigned 5 weeks after his defeat of party leader Saracen's Fez in April 2016.

After the November 2016 general election, Labour won their highest-ever number of seats at that point, numbering 17, after the Green Party failed to submit a manifesto and so did not stand. They entered government in a Labour-Socialist coalition government, with leader RayApparently becoming Prime Minister.

Following the resignation of RayApparently, Saracen's Fez took over once again as leader of the party and Prime Minister.

This was followed by the 27th General Election, which marked the beginning of three terms in opposition for Labour in which it was initially led by Saoirse:3 from July 2018, however, she soon left, and by the end of the year was replaced by RedLuxemburg. Following defeat at the 28th General Election, RedLuxemburg resigned as leader and MP due to personal reasons and was replaced by Saunders16 who beat SoggyCabbages in the leadership election by a single vote.

Saunders never contested a General Election and left shortly before the 29th General Election in which Labour was led by newly elected JMR2019. Labour ended up second placed behind the Liberal Democrats however entered government with the Liberal Democrats as junior coalition partners alongside barnetlad. Following the 30th General Election Labour won an all time high of 18 seats and replicated the coalition with the Liberal Democrats and barnetlad, albeit as the largest party in coalition.

Towards the latter end of term, there was desire for a fresh election following calls by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Deputy Leader and Chair of the Labour Party, all voting for an election in a successful Early General Election motion. This reluctantly motivated JMR2020. to call an early election.

Following the 31st General Election Labour were the largest party pre-verification, however dropped to second post-verification, making the Conservatives the largest party, and dropping to 15 seats, and thus formed the Official Opposition.

## Electoral Performance

The Labour Party has fared reasonably well in General Elections, with its best performance being between April 2011 and March 2014 where it won 7 General Elections in a row.

This table shows how the Labour Party has performed in General Elections since the first one in May 2005:

## Leaders

Leaders are responsible for the overall running of the party, to oversee and approve legislation, to negotiate coalitions, to set whips and to serve as Chair when the Chair is absent.

There have been various Labour Leaders to date with MC being the first one and Bailey14 being the current one.

Labour Leaders who also served as Prime Minister at some point during their tenure are marked with an asterisk.

## Deputy Leaders

Deputy Leaders are responsible for supporting the Leader in the exercise of their powers and duties and to serve as Leader when the Leader is absent.

There have been 28 Labour Deputy Leaders to date with BananaManUK being the first one and BosslyGaming being the current one.
Deputy Leaders who also served as Leader at some point are marked with an asterisk.

## Chairs

Chairs are responsible for sending party updates, acting as returning officer in internal elections, making important announcements and ensuring that Labour members obey the Party Constitution.

In July 2013, the position of Chair was introduced.

There have been 17 Labour Chairs (including every stint for those who have had the position more than once) with StatusRed being the first, the current being Possibly this.

## Chief Whips

Chief Whips are responsible for reminding MPs to vote, informing them of whips and ensuring they comply with whips.

Following the passing of a party amendment in May 2016, the role of Chief Whip was separated from the role of Chair.

There have been 13 Labour Chief Whips on record with RayApparently being the first one and BosslyGaming being the incumbent. During 2019, whipping was managed by the party leader - without a direct chief whip.

Chief Whips who also served as Leader at some point are marked with an asterisk.

## Reserve Deputy Leader

The position of Reserve Deputy Leader was created in June 2012 but abolished in July 2013 following the creation of the Chair position. RoryS was the only Reserve Deputy Leader. This position is currently not being used.