The RPC was formed in 1931 by members of the ILP who were especially unhappy with the gradualist policies of the Second Labour Government (1929-1931).
The RPC was particularly active in London and its initial focus was on advocating the disaffiliation of the ILP from the Labour Party.
After it achieved this aim, in 1932, the RPC sought to bring about closer cooperation between the ILP and the Communist Party of Great Britain, and advocated affiliation to the Comintern.
Within the ILP the RPC increasingly came to be seen as a vehicle for Communist entryists and aroused strong feelings of hostility.
In 1934 there was a split in the ILP as some opponents of the RPC, led by John Middleton Murry and Elijah Sandham, left to form the Independent Socialist Party.