National Administrative Council

The National Administrative Council (NAC) was the executive council of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), a British socialist party which was active from 1893 until 1975.

Creation

The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was founded at a conference in Bradford in 1893 by a large number of localised organisations. Delegates wished there to be a body which would implement policy between conferences, and also raise funds, and select candidates for Parliamentary elections. However, the local organisations did not wish the new body to have too much power, requiring it not to initiate any policy which had not been approved by a conference, and to emphasise this subordinate nature, it was decided to name it the "National Administrative Council", rather than "Executive Committee".[1]

The first NAC was elected on a regional basis, with five seats for the Northern Counties, four for London, three for Scotland, and three for the Midland Counties. The membership was:[1]

Northern CountiesLondonScotlandMidland, Eastern and Wales
William Henry Drew
James C. Kennedy
William Johnson
John Lister
Alf Settle
Edward Aveling
Joseph Burgess
Pete Curran
Katherine St John Conway
George Carson
Chisholm Robertson
William Small
J. W. Buttery
Jordie Christie
Arthur Field

There were many candidates from the North and Scotland to choose from, but the London candidates were better known for their national activity than their local work, and there was a lack of suitable candidate from the Midlands. It was decided that there would be no chair, and the NAC would meet at locations around the country. However, a lack of funds led to it meeting only twice: in Manchester in March, and Halifax in November. However, it succeeded in agreeing to distance the organisation from Henry Hyde Champion, and it selected seven candidates for the next UK general election.[1]

1894 to 1906

The second conference of the ILP, held in Manchester in 1894, started with the reading of the minutes of the NAC meetings. The organisation decided to only permit ILP branches to send delegates, and this less individualised membership agreed to reduce the NAC to nine members. Three would be elected as president, treasurer and general secretary, while the other six would be elected by all delegates, using plurality-at-large voting. Only three members retained their seats, and Keir Hardie was elected, establishing his dominance within the party. The NAC now met more frequently, and had a greater role in determining policy.[1]

The title of president was changed to chairman in 1896, and by 1898, the membership of the NAC had begun to settle down, with Hardie joined by Ramsay Macdonald, Bruce Glasier and Philip Snowden, and the "Big Four" held the leading roles in the party for many years.[1]

YearChairTreasurerMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberGeneral Secretary
1894 Keir Hardie John Lister Fred Brocklehurst Jordie Christie Pete Curran Leonard Hall James Tattersall Ben Tillett Tom Mann
1895 Richard Pankhurst Russell Smart Enid Stacy
1896 France Littlewood Fred Brocklehurst Ramsay MacDonald
1897 Bruce Glasier Tom Shaw Florence Harrison-Bell
1898 Fred Brocklehurst Emmeline Pankhurst Philip Snowden John Penny
1899 Joseph Burgess James Parker
1900 Bruce Glasier Keir Hardie Ramsay Macdonald Sidney Shallard
1901 T. D. Benson Fred Jowett
1902[2]
1903 Philip Snowden Bruce Glasier Isabella Ford[3] Francis Johnson
1904 Emmeline Pankhurst[3]
1905[4] Isabella Ford

1906 to 1909

By 1906, there was a feeling that there was too little change in the membership of the NAC, and activists highly popular in one region but little known in others were unable to win places on it. As a result, seven regional divisions were created, each holding conferences to elect one NAC member, joined by the chair, treasurer and secretary and four national members, who continued to be elected by delegates at conference.[1]

YearChairTreasurerNationalNationalNationalNational1
Scotland
2
North East
3
Yorkshire
4
North West & Ireland
5
South Wales
6
Midlands
7
South
General Secretary
1906[5] Ramsay Macdonald T. D. Benson Isabella Ford Bruce Glasier Keir Hardie Philip Snowden William Stewart Thomas Richardson T. Russell Williams James Howard William Field Harry Brockhouse Margaret McMillan Francis Johnson
1907 James Parker William Wood
1908 William Anderson W. E. Moll Ben Riley

1909 to 1970

In 1909, the divisions were reorganised, and four more created, and further adjustments were made over the next three years, including in 1912 the formation of a single division for the whole of Wales.[6] This endured for many decades.

From 1935, the ILP's conferences were based around a policy statement from the NAC. The NAC began electing a smaller executive committee from its ranks, and with the executive committee taking on more powers, the NAC met less frequently.[7]

YearChairTreasurerNationalNationalNationalNational1
Scotland
2
North East
3
Yorkshire
4
Midlands
5
East Anglia
6
London & South
7
South West
8
South Wales
9
Lancashire
10
Manchester
11
Ireland & Cumbria
Gen Sec
1909 Fred Jowett T. D. Benson William Anderson J. R. Clynes George Lansbury Mary Macarthur Thomas McKerrell W. E. Moll Ben Riley Leonard Hall Bill Holmes Robert Ensor James H. Belcher William Field William Williams J. M. McLachlan Hugh Stockman Francis Johnson
1910 William Anderson Bruce Glasier Fred Jowett Harry Snell Harry Davies C. T. Douthwaite Merged into Division 2
1911 J. W. Kneeshaw Harry Dubery Geoffrey A. Ramsay R. C. Wallhead
YearChairTreasurerNationalNationalNationalNational1
Scotland
2
North East
3
Yorkshire
4
Midlands
5
East Anglia
6
London & South
7
South West
8
Wales
9
Lancashire
Gen Sec
1912 William Anderson T. D. Benson Bruce Glasier Fred Jowett Mary Macarthur J. M. McLachlan James A. Allan W. E. Moll Ben Riley John Kneeshaw Bill Holmes Harry Dubery Geoffrey A. Ramsay James Winstone R. C. Wallhead Francis Johnson
1913 Keir Hardie William Anderson Margaret Bondfield John Palin John Watt
1914 Fred Jowett Keir Hardie James Maxton Charlie Glyde Walter Ayles Ivor H. Thomas
1915 Ben Riley
1916 Philip Snowden Tom Johnston Harry Dubery
1917 Philip Snowden Fred Jowett J. W. Murby
1918 James Maxton J. B. Houston Herbert Witard
1919 David Kirkwood Neil Maclean Hugh Guthrie
1920 R. C. Wallhead Philip Snowden Manny Shinwell Jack Lees Clement Bundock Herbert Witard Clifford Allen John Barr James Hindle Hudson
1921 Ramsay Macdonald Ernest E. Hunter Morgan Jones
1922 Clifford Allen Charles Simmons Percy F. Pollard
1923 Clifford Allen George Benson R. C. Wallhead John Wheatley Patrick Dollan Clement Bundock George Gethin
1924 George Banton Fenner Brockway
1925 Charles Roden Buxton James Maxton Fred Tait Fred Longden Harry Davies Elijah Sandham
1926 James Maxton David Kirkwood Minnie Pallister Thomas William Stamford Dorothy Jewson John Scurr
1927 Oswald Mosley Manny Shinwell Frank Wise Ernest E. Hunter Fred Berriman David Mort John Paton
1928 Fred Jowett John William Moor John Scurr
1929 Fenner Brockway J. Allen Skinner Kate Spurrell
1930 John Wheatley Percy Williams David Thomas
1931 Fenner Brockway James Maxton R. C. Wallhead Frank Wise Jim Garton Dai Jones
1932[7] Campbell Stephen Tom Stephenson
1933[7] James Maxton C. A. Smith Jennie Lee Fenner Brockway John McGovern Jack Gaster E. B. James Fenner Brockway
1934[7] Alex Smillie Sam Leckie George Johnson Bob Edwards
1935[7] James Carmichael Fenner Brockway
1936[7] Wilfred Young John Aplin Jim Davies
1937[7] Sam Leckie Tom Reed
1938[7] John Aplin Jack Hammond Emrys Thomas
1939[7] C. A. Smith Fred Jowett James Maxton Will Ballantine David Gibson Fred Berriman John McNair
1940 John McGovern Walter Padley John Aplin
1941 John McGovern Tom Taylor George Woodall Emrys Thomas
1942 Norman Winters Kate Spurrell
1943 Bob Edwards F. A. Ridley David Gibson T. Dan Smith Fred Barton
1944 Percy Williams Don Bateman
1945 Arthur Eaton Norman Winters Alf Nicholls
1946 Don Bateman James Taylor George Craker Tom Colyer
1947 Tom Colyer George Stone Wilfred Wigham
1948 David Gibson Bob Edwards Harley Millichap James Taylor Ted Hardiment Amy Woodall
1949 Harley Millichap Tom Colyer Fred Barton Jim Taylor Robert Duncan Percy Williams Don Bateman May Edwards
1950 Jim Graham Mark Sadler John Gill Dick Barnes Len Collier Len Woods Eric Hughes
1951 Fred Barton Vacant Vacant Emrys Thomas Jim Graham Gwladys Thomas Stan Iveson
1952 Stan Birkett Dan Carradice Annie Maxton Cissie Smith Wilfred Wigham David Thomas
1953 Anne Gill Don Bateman Jim Graham Bert Vallance Jack Scott Emrys Thomas Harry Hardcastle Merged into Division 7
1954 Annie Maxton Stan Birkett Jack Scott Mark Sadler Ken Eaton Wilfred Wigham
1955 Fred Morel
1956 Jim McKie Ruby Sellers
1957 Jim Graham Annie Maxton William Park
1958 Emrys Thomas Ken Eaton Bill Hanley
1959 Jack Scott Vacant Bill Christopher
1960 Annie Maxton Jim Graham Jim McKie Fred Morel
1961 Fred Morel Annie Maxton Eric Preston Emrys Thomas
1962 Emrys Thomas Ruby Sellers Graham Childs Fred Morel Penny Lockett
1963 Don Bateman Eric Preston Bessie Murray Brian Hawkins Arthur Taylor Jenny Morel
1964 Isabel Colman Brian Dean Douglas Kepper John Pugh Hira Mukherjee
1965 Wilfred Wigham Tony Coxon Graham Childs
1966 Eric Preston Mary Maxton Daryl Hepple
1967 Tony Coxon Bessie Murray John Preston Marian Morris Vacant Eric Preston Dick Barnes
1968 Alistair Graham Bert Vallance
1969 Harry Newton Eric Preston Annie Read William MacCreadie Pat McIntyre Brian Hawkins Bill Turner

1970 onwards

Faced with a continuing decline in membership, in 1970 the NAC was restructured, with twelve members serving alongside the chair, treasurer and general secretary.

YearChairTreasurerMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberGen Sec
1970 Emrys Thomas Don Bateman David Alexander Tony Coxon Brian Dean Alistair Graham Anne-Marie Graham Brian Hawkins Stan Iveson Colin Livett William MacReadie Pat McIntyre Eric Preston Barry Winter Hira Mukherjee
1971 Hira Mukherjee Barry Winter
1972[8] Robin Jenkins Danny Keneally David McGregor Jenny Morel

References

  1. Howell, David (1983). British Workers and the Independent Labour Party: 1888-1906. Manchester: Manchester University Press. pp. 283–326. ISBN 0719009200.
  2. "The Independent Labour Party". Manchester Guardian. 2 April 1902.
  3. Hunt, Karen (1996). Equivocal feminists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 259. ISBN 0521554519.
  4. "Independent Labour: Manchester conference". Manchester Guardian. 26 April 1905.
  5. "The ILP's name". Manchester Guardian. 18 April 1906.
  6. D. Ben Rees, "Thomas, David", Gildart, Keith; Howell, David (2010). Dictionary of Labour Biography. XIII. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 365. ISBN 9780230004566.
  7. Cohen, Gidon (2000). The Independent Labour Party 1932-1939 (PDF). York: University of York. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  8. "Incitement to disaffection in the Army". East West Journal. 8: 704–705. 1972.
  • Annual Reports of the National Administrative Committee (18931970)
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