New Zealand Labour Party (1910)

{{Use New Zealand English|date=September 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox political party

|country = New Zealand

|name = New Zealand Labour Party

|colorcode = {{party color|New Zealand Labour Party (1910)}}

|foundation = 1910

|dissolution = {{End date and age|1912}}

|predecessor =Independent Political Labour League

|successor = United Labour Party

|ideology = {{nowrap|Democratic socialism}}

|position = Left-wing

|colours = {{colour box|{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party (1910)}}}} Red

}}

The original New Zealand Labour Party was a short-lived left-wing political party in New Zealand. It is a predecessor of the modern Labour Party.

File:NZLP Conference 1912.jpg

The original Labour Party was founded in 1910. It was based on the remnants of the Independent Political Labour League, the first real working-class party in New Zealand, formed in 1904–05. While the IPLL had managed to elect one MP (David McLaren) to Parliament, it quickly began to collapse into disarray—internal disputes about the party's political alignment were a significant factor, as was poor organisation and coordination.{{cite book |chapter-url= http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/political-parties/page-6 |title=An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand |chapter=Independent Political Labour League |publisher=Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga | editor-first=A. H. |editor-last=McLintock |editor-link=Alexander Hare McLintock |access-date= 15 July 2015 |orig-year=First published in 1966 |date=22 April 2009}} The Labour Party was an attempt to relaunch the IPLL.

In the 1911 election, the Labour Party retained representation in Parliament through John Robertson, John Payne and chair Alfred Hindmarsh.{{cite book |title=Humanism in Politics: New Zealand Labour Party in Retrospect|last=Paul|first=J.T.|year=1946|publisher=New Zealand Worker Printing and Publishing|location=Wellington, NZ|pages=70}}

It did not, however, represent the totality of the left-wing vote — the Socialist Party and various independent candidates had also attracted a certain amount of support. In 1912, a "Unity Conference" was called, aiming to unite the diverse leftist factions. The Socialists refused to attend, but a number of independent activists agreed to take part in discussions. In the end, a new party, called the United Labour Party, was formed, consisting of the Labour Party and various independents such as Bill Veitch.{{cite book |chapter-url= http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/political-parties/page-8 |title=An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand |chapter=Labour Party |publisher=Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga | editor-first=A. H. |editor-last=McLintock |editor-link=Alexander Hare McLintock |access-date= 15 July 2015 |orig-year=First published in 1966 |date=22 April 2009}}

Later, the majority of the United Labour Party would merge with the Socialists to form the Social Democratic Party. This party would then merge with those elements of the United Labour Party which had remained independent, thereby forming the Labour Party which exists today.