British MPs sponsored by mining unions

John Normansell, leader of the South Yorkshire Miners' Association, presented a paper at the 1869 Trades Union Congress, on "the best means to secure the direct representation of labour in the Commons".

[1] The MFGB initially believed that the committee would not be successful and remained apart, but from 1902 it raised a centralised Labour Political Fund of one shilling per member, to stand working coal miners or officials as Parliamentary candidates, and then to support successful members of Parliament, as they were otherwise unpaid.

Candidates were free to stand under the label of any political party, or as independents, although in practice affiliations were agreed with the local union.

Some existing MPs were reluctant to transfer, so it was agreed that they would not have to join the Labour Party group in Parliament until the next general election.

This was held in January 1910, and resulted in fifteen mining trade union MPs, approximately a third of the total size of the party.

While the miners' union MPs suffered in the 1931 United Kingdom general election, alongside the party as a whole, things soon rebounded.

While the selection of candidates remained a matter for the areas, they were required to be members of the NUM, and have worked in the mines or for the union for at least five years.

Macdonald was elected by taking second place in a two-seat constituency Abraham stood as an independent Liberal-Labour candidate.