The ''Labour Elector'' was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

publication. The ''Labour Elector'' was edited by

Henry Hyde Champion Henry Hyde Champion (22 January 1859 – 30 April 1928) was a socialist journalist and activist, regarded as one of the leading spirits behind the formation of the Independent Labour Party. Up to 1893, he lived and worked in Great Britain, moving ...

(a former member of the

Social Democratic Federation The Social Democratic Federation (SDF) was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on 7 June 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury, James Con ...

) and published from

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

.Barrow, Logie, and Ian Bullock.
Democratic Ideas and the British Labour Movement, 1880-1914
'. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. p. 63 The newspaper was sold at one

penny A penny is a coin ( pennies) or a unit of currency (pl. pence) in various countries. Borrowed from the Carolingian denarius (hence its former abbreviation d.), it is usually the smallest denomination within a currency system. Presently, it is t ...

.Mutch, Deborah.
English Socialist Periodicals: 1880-1900 : a Reference Source
'. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2005. p. 2 The founding of the newspaper was preceded by the May 1888 Southampton by-election, in which Champion's

Labour Electoral Association {{Short description, Political motive of the Labour Electoral Association The Labour Electoral Association was a political organisation in the United Kingdom which aimed to get working men elected to Parliament. Foundation The issue of political re ...

had helped ensure the electoral victory of the

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

candidate Francis Evans. Burgess, Joseph.
John Burns: The Rise and Progress of a Right Honourable
'. Glasgow: Reformer's Bookstall, 1911. p. 104 The ''Labour Elector'' argued in favour of the foundation of an '

Independent Labour Party The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse working-class candidates ...

'. The ''Labour Elector'' was published monthly between June and October 1888, fortnightly between 1 November 1888 and 1 December 1888, and weekly between 5 January 1889 and 19 April 1890. The ''Labour Elector'' experienced a boom in its readership during the

London Dock Strike of 1889 The London dock strike was an industrial dispute involving dock workers in the Port of London. It broke out on 14 August 1889, and resulted in victory for the 100,000 strikers and established strong trade unions amongst London dockers, one of whi ...

. At the time the editorial board of the newspaper was joined by

John Burns John Elliot Burns (20 October 1858 – 24 January 1943) was an English trade unionist and politician, particularly associated with London politics and Battersea. He was a socialist and then a Liberal Member of Parliament and Minister. He was ...

and

Cunninghame Graham Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham (24 May 1852 – 20 March 1936) was a Scottish politician, writer, journalist and adventurer. He was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament (MP); the first ever socialist member of the Parliament of the United Ki ...

. However, the two soon found themselves uncomfortable with Champion's way of running the newspaper. Champion controlled the newspaper editorial line, assisted by

Maltman Barry Michael Maltman Barry (1842 – 5 April 1909), often known as Maltman Barry, was a Scottish political activist who described himself as a Marxist but stood in elections for the Conservative Party. Biography Barry was born in Glasgow and moved t ...

as his sub-editor. Burns and Graham left the newspaper in connection with an attack published in the pages of the ''Labour Elector'' on ''

The Star ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' editor Ernest Parke. Publication was discontinued in April 1890, as its founder Champion left for

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

to organize

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

s there (an alternative account states that the shift to Australia was motived by health reasons). Burgess, Joseph.
John Burns: The Rise and Progress of a Right Honourable
'. Glasgow: Reformer's Bookstall, 1911. p. 146 Publication of the ''Labour Elector'' was resumed in January 1893 (as a weekly). In June 1893 it was converted into a monthly publication, and in January 1894 the ''Labour Elector'' again ceased publication.Mutch, Deborah.
English Socialist Periodicals: 1880-1900 : a Reference Source
'. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2005. pp. xxiii-xxiv

References

{{reflist Socialist newspapers published in the United Kingdom 1888 establishments in the United Kingdom 1894 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Publications established in 1888 Publications disestablished in 1894