Independent Labour Party (ILP)

The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a socialist party in the UK, established in 1893. It was affiliated to the British Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it disaffiliated. (It also left the Labour and Socialist International to participate in the formation of International Revolutionary Marxist Centre).

It rejoined the British Labour Party in 1975, and continued as Independent Labour Publications.

In Ireland

The party had a presence in Northern Ireland from it’s foundation, with Belfast activists joining as a local branch. ILP branches in Belfast also participated in James Connolly’s short-lived Independent Labour Party of Ireland initiative from 1912-1914, in cooperation with the Socialist Party of Ireland.

Belfast branches cooperated closely with the Belfast Labour Party, and when that became the Northern Ireland Labour Party (NILP), many members joined and maintained dual membership. When the ILP voted to disaffiliate from the British Labour Party, Belfast branches were asked to also disaffiliate from the NILP, but were unwilling. Instead, Belfast members formed the Socialist Party of Northern Ireland (which maintained links to the NILP), ending the ILP presence in Ireland.