Labour Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Oliver Howard |
| Deputy leader | Vacant |
| House of Commons | 3 of 32 seats |
| Members | 4 |
| Founded | 1900 |
| Ideology | Social democracy, democratic socialism |
| Position | Centre-left |
| Manifesto | Working for Britain (2026) |
| Colour | Red |
| Headquarters | 20 Rushworth Street, London, SE1 0SS |
The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in UKOGB and the party of government. It is led by Sir Oliver Howard, who has been Leader of the Labour Party since 12 September 2020 and Prime Minister since 6 May 2022. Labour's red rose and its close links with the trade unions make it one of the most recognisable parties in the country.
History
Labour was founded in 1900 by trade unions and socialist societies to give working people a voice in Parliament. It formed its first government in 1924, and after the Second World War its government founded the National Health Service and the modern welfare state.
In UKOGB the party spent the years after 2017 rebuilding. Howard, elected leader in 2020 after winning the "unwinnable" seat of Cities of London and Westminster at the 2017 election, set out to show that Labour could be trusted by business and the unions alike. He drew on his own record: a workers' rights lawyer who had won the Don Valley Pensions case, and the founder of an investment bank, Hopkins PLC, that only backs firms that make things.
In government
Labour won the 2022 general election with 18 of the 32 seats in the House of Commons, ending more than a decade of Conservative government. Its first term focused on fair pay and workers' rights, investment in industry outside London, and cutting NHS waiting times.
Policies
In 2026 Labour went back to the country on the Working for Britain manifesto and its five pledges:
- Fair pay: a fair wage for a fair day's work, and stronger rights at work.
- Safer streets: more police officers in every community.
- A stronger NHS: shorter waiting lists and more doctors and nurses.
- Homes to buy: new homes that working families can afford.
- Honest government: higher standards in public life.
Organisation
The party's members elect its leader in a leadership election, and its MPs are expected to follow the party whip in votes in the Commons. Labour is registered with the Electoral Commission, which publishes its donations.
Leadership
- Leader: Sir Oliver Howard (since 12 September 2020)
This page was last edited on 3 November 2026.