How can Colne Valley Labour Party be celebrating its 120th birthday, when the Labour Party itself was only founded in 1900 via the Parliamentary Representation Committee, the brainchild of a Doncaster railway worker? Organised labour, in the form of trade unions, was not new in the late 19th century, nor were the political ideas that underpinning it. A radical weavers’ culture flourished from the 1780s in the small rural communities dotted around Huddersfield and stretching across the Pennines towards Oldham.
The parliamentary constituency of Colne Valley was first formed in 1885. Early in 1891, a “Social Democratic Club” was formed in the cellar of a terraced house at 23 Nabbs Lane, Slaithwaite (locally pronounced “Slawit”). Railway union activists meeting there agreed to form a more formal socialist organisation. On July 21, they set up the Colne Valley Labour Union, “for the purpose of securing independent labour representation.”
It was not exactly a socialist revolution. The Liberals were strong in the valleys on both sides of the Pennines, a non-conformist tradition that continued well into the 20th century, making the constituency one of the few genuine three-cornered contests. But with the advent of the CVLU, labour ideas spread rapidly. Slaithwaite had a Labour Club in 1892, and within months these (uusally dry) centres of social and political activity had been formed in Golcar, Honley, Milnsbridge and Longwood.
George Garside, a local blacksmith and chairman of the CVLU, was elected the first socialist to a county council, beating the Liberals with 55 per cent of the vote – even though many men and all women supporters still didn’t have votes.
When the Independent Labour Party was formed in 1893, the CVLU affiliated and many of its leaders, Keir Hardie, Ramsay Macdonald and local boy Philip Snowden, were regular visitors. Radical Tom Mann stood as the CVLU’s candidate in 1895, coming third against the Liberals. Renamed the Colne Valley Labour League in 1900, and against the advice of national Labour leaders, it fielded the charismatic Victor Grayson in a 1907 by-election. With no Liberal standing, he beat the Tories by 153 votes, on an uncompromising manifesto: “I am a socialist and believe there can be no freedom or security for the working classes while the land and means of production are owned and controlled by a small privileged class.” Unfortunately, on reaching Westminster he developed a drink problem and rarely attended the House of Commons, preferring to tour the country preaching radicalism. Grayson lost the seat in 1910, and after war service on the Western Front, devoted much time to exposing the corrupt sale of honours under David Lloyd George. He disappeared in 1920 and is believed to have been murdered by associates of Arthur Maundy Gregory, the “monocled dandy” used to sell peerages.
Philip Snowden won the constituency in 1922. A year later, he became the party’s first Chancellor in a minority Labour adminstration. Snowden retained the seat through the 1920s, and returned to the Treasury in 1929. But he was reviled as a traitor when he joined the Tory-dominated National Government in 1931, remaining Chancellor. Colne Valley was lost to the Liberals, but won back by Ernest Marklew, a spiritualist left-winger, in 1935. He was succeeded in 1939 by Will Hall, who held it for 24 years. Pat Duffy kept the seat in 1964, but lost it to Liberal Richard Wainwright. David (now Lord) Clark won it back in 1970, only to lose it to Wainwright in 1974, who in turn lost to Tory Graham Riddick in 1987. Colne Valley was strongly represented by Labour at county council level, but didn’t win the constituency back until the success of Kali Mountford in 1997. She held it until retiring in 2005, when Debbie Abrahams (subsequently winner at the Oldham East by-election) lost it to the Tory Jason McCartney. He will be fortunate to retain it next time.
It was party time last week to celebrate “the oldest Labour Party”. After a stroll round historic Slaithwaite, local historian Cyril Pearce led a celebration at the Watershed with songs from the East Lancashire Clarion Choir, a drama featuring local actors and a contribution from David Clark, author of Labour’s Lost Leader, a brilliant biography of Victor Grayson. That was followed by a Sunday garden party at the home of Paul Salveson, Tribune contributor and author of a booklet, Colne Valley Labour Party 120, Debbie Abrahams paid a return visit and there was mingling in the rocky eyrie Salveson calls a garden. “Labour is reassessing itself and we are getting a very welcome influx of new members who are bringing lots of new ideas”, he said.
“Boundary changes loom and might mean the shape of the constituency alters – or it could disappear entirely. We are proud of our history but the actual boundaries are not important. The principle of having a constituency called Colne Valley is one we will defend. Whatever happens, a socialism that is open, tolerant and democratic will continue to flourish in this rugged, independent and beautiful place.” Amen to that.
Colne Valley Labour Party 120: send £3.95 to Paul Salveson, 90A Radcliffe Road, Golcar, Huddersfield HD7 4EZ
