The National Administrative Council (NAC) was the executive council of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), a British socialist party which was active from 1893 until 1975.

Creation The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was founded at a conference in Bradford in 1893 by a large number of localised organisations. Delegates wished there to be a body which would implement policy between conferences, and also raise funds, and select candidates for Parliamentary elections. However, the local organisations did not wish the new body to have too much power, requiring it not to initiate any policy which had not been approved by a conference, and to emphasise this subordinate nature, it was decided to name it the "National Administrative Council", rather than "Executive Committee".

The first NAC was elected on a regional basis, with five seats for the Northern Counties, four for London, three for Scotland, and three for the Midland Counties. The membership was:

Northern Counties London Scotland Midland, Eastern and Wales William Henry DrewJames C. KennedyWilliam JohnsonJohn ListerAlf Settle Edward AvelingJoseph BurgessPete CurranKatherine St John Conway George CarsonChisholm RobertsonWilliam Small J. W. ButteryJordie ChristieArthur Field

There were many candidates from the North and Scotland to choose from, but the London candidates were better known for their national activity than their local work, and there was a lack of suitable candidate from the Midlands. It was decided that there would be no chair, and the NAC would meet at locations around the country. However, a lack of funds led to it meeting only twice: in Manchester in March, and Halifax in November. However, it succeeded in agreeing to distance the organisation from Henry Hyde Champion, and it selected seven candidates for the next UK general election.

1894 to 1906 The second conference of the ILP, held in Manchester in 1894, started with the reading of the minutes of the NAC meetings. The organisation decided to only permit ILP branches to send delegates, and this less individualised membership agreed to reduce the NAC to nine members. Three would be elected as president, treasurer and general secretary, while the other six would be elected by all delegates, using plurality-at-large voting. Only three members retained their seats, and Keir Hardie was elected, establishing his dominance within the party. The NAC now met more frequently, and had a greater role in determining policy.

The title of president was changed to chairman in 1896, and by 1898, the membership of the NAC had begun to settle down, with Hardie joined by Ramsay Macdonald, Bruce Glasier and Philip Snowden, and the "Big Four" held the leading roles in the party for many years.

Year Chair Treasurer Member Member Member Member Member Member General Secretary 1894 Keir Hardie John Lister Fred Brocklehurst Jordie Christie Pete Curran Leonard Hall James Tattersall Ben Tillett Tom Mann 1895 Richard Pankhurst Russell Smart Enid Stacy 1896 France Littlewood Fred Brocklehurst Ramsay MacDonald 1897 Bruce Glasier Tom Shaw Florence Harrison-Bell 1898 Fred Brocklehurst Emmeline Pankhurst Philip Snowden John Penny 1899 Joseph Burgess James Parker 1900 Bruce Glasier Keir Hardie Ramsay Macdonald Sidney Shallard 1901 T. D. Benson Fred Jowett 1902 1903 Philip Snowden Bruce Glasier Isabella Ford Francis Johnson 1904 Emmeline Pankhurst 1905 Isabella Ford

1906 to 1909 By 1906, there was a feeling that there was too little change in the membership of the NAC, and activists highly popular in one region but little known in others were unable to win places on it. As a result, seven regional divisions were created, each holding conferences to elect one NAC member, joined by the chair, treasurer and secretary and four national members, who continued to be elected by delegates at conference.

Year Chair Treasurer National National National National 1Scotland 2North East 3Yorkshire 4North West & Ireland 5South Wales 6Midlands 7South General Secretary 1906 Ramsay Macdonald T. D. Benson Isabella Ford Bruce Glasier Keir Hardie Philip Snowden William Stewart Thomas Richardson T. Russell Williams James Howard William Field Harry Brockhouse Margaret McMillan Francis Johnson 1907 James Parker William Wood 1908 William Anderson W. E. Moll Ben Riley

1909 to 1970 In 1909, the divisions were reorganised, and four more created, and further adjustments were made over the next three years, including in 1912 the formation of a single division for the whole of Wales.D. Ben Rees, "Thomas, David", This endured for many decades.

From 1935, the ILP's conferences were based around a policy statement from the NAC. The NAC began electing a smaller executive committee from its ranks, and with the executive committee taking on more powers, the NAC met less frequently.

Year Chair Treasurer National National National National 1Scotland 2North East 3Yorkshire 4Midlands 5East Anglia 6London & South 7South West 8South Wales 9Lancashire 10Manchester 11Ireland & Cumbria Gen Sec 1909 Fred Jowett T. D. Benson William Anderson J. R. Clynes George Lansbury Mary Macarthur Thomas McKerrell W. E. Moll Ben Riley Leonard Hall Bill Holmes Robert Ensor James H. Belcher William Field William Williams J. M. McLachlan Hugh Stockman Francis Johnson 1910 William Anderson Bruce Glasier Fred Jowett Harry Snell Harry Davies C. T. Douthwaite Merged into Division 2 1911 J. W. Kneeshaw Harry Dubery Geoffrey A. Ramsay R. C. Wallhead

Year Chair Treasurer National National National National 1Scotland 2North East 3Yorkshire 4Midlands 5East Anglia 6London & South 7South West 8Wales 9Lancashire Gen Sec 1912 William Anderson T. D. Benson Bruce Glasier Fred Jowett Mary Macarthur J. M. McLachlan James A. Allan W. E. Moll Ben Riley John Kneeshaw Bill Holmes Harry Dubery Geoffrey A. Ramsay James Winstone R. C. Wallhead Francis Johnson 1913 Keir Hardie William Anderson Margaret Bondfield John Palin John Watt 1914 Fred Jowett Keir Hardie James Maxton Charlie Glyde Walter Ayles Ivor H. Thomas 1915 Ben Riley 1916 Philip Snowden Tom Johnston Harry Dubery 1917 Philip Snowden Fred Jowett J. W. Murby 1918 James Maxton J. B. Houston Herbert Witard 1919 David Kirkwood Neil Maclean Hugh Guthrie 1920 R. C. Wallhead Philip Snowden Manny Shinwell Jack Lees Clement Bundock Herbert Witard Clifford Allen John Barr James Hindle Hudson 1921 Ramsay Macdonald Ernest E. Hunter Morgan Jones 1922 Clifford Allen Charles Simmons Percy F. Pollard 1923 Clifford Allen George Benson R. C. Wallhead John Wheatley Patrick Dollan Clement Bundock George Gethin 1924 George Banton Fenner Brockway 1925 Charles Roden Buxton James Maxton Fred Tait Fred Longden Harry Davies Elijah Sandham 1926 James Maxton David Kirkwood Minnie Pallister Thomas William Stamford Dorothy Jewson John Scurr 1927 Oswald Mosley Manny Shinwell Frank Wise Ernest E. Hunter Fred Berriman David Mort John Paton 1928 Fred Jowett John William Moor John Scurr 1929 Fenner Brockway J. Allen Skinner Kate Spurrell 1930 John Wheatley Percy Williams David Thomas 1931 Fenner Brockway James Maxton R. C. Wallhead Frank Wise Jim Garton Dai Jones 1932 Campbell Stephen Tom Stephenson 1933 James Maxton C. A. Smith Jennie Lee Fenner Brockway John McGovern Jack Gaster E. B. James Fenner Brockway 1934 Alex Smillie Sam Leckie George Johnson Bob Edwards 1935 James Carmichael Fenner Brockway 1936 Wilfred Young John Aplin Jim Davies 1937 Sam Leckie Tom Reed 1938 John Aplin Jack Hammond Emrys Thomas 1939 C. A. Smith Fred Jowett James Maxton Will Ballantine David Gibson Fred Berriman John McNair 1940 John McGovern Walter Padley John Aplin 1941 John McGovern Tom Taylor George Woodall Emrys Thomas 1942 Norman Winters Kate Spurrell 1943 Bob Edwards F. A. Ridley David Gibson T. Dan Smith Fred Barton 1944 Percy Williams Don Bateman 1945 Arthur Eaton Norman Winters Alf Nicholls 1946 Don Bateman James Taylor George Craker Tom Colyer 1947 Tom Colyer George Stone Wilfred Wigham 1948 David Gibson Bob Edwards Harley Millichap James Taylor Ted Hardiment Amy Woodall 1949 Harley Millichap Tom Colyer Fred Barton Jim Taylor Robert Duncan Percy Williams Don Bateman May Edwards 1950 Jim Graham Mark Sadler John Gill Dick Barnes Len Collier Len Woods Eric Hughes 1951 Fred Barton Vacant Vacant Emrys Thomas Jim Graham Gwladys Thomas Stan Iveson 1952 Stan Birkett Dan Carradice Annie Maxton Cissie Smith Wilfred Wigham David Thomas 1953 Anne Gill Don Bateman Jim Graham Bert Vallance Jack Scott Emrys Thomas Harry Hardcastle Merged into Division 7 1954 Annie Maxton Stan Birkett Jack Scott Mark Sadler Ken Eaton Wilfred Wigham 1955 Fred Morel 1956 Jim McKie Ruby Sellers 1957 Jim Graham Annie Maxton William Park 1958 Emrys Thomas Ken Eaton Bill Hanley 1959 Jack Scott Vacant Bill Christopher 1960 Annie Maxton Jim Graham Jim McKie Fred Morel 1961 Fred Morel Annie Maxton Eric Preston Emrys Thomas 1962 Emrys Thomas Ruby Sellers Graham Childs Fred Morel Penny Lockett 1963 Don Bateman Eric Preston Bessie Murray Brian Hawkins Arthur Taylor Jenny Morel 1964 Isabel Colman Brian Dean Douglas Kepper John Pugh Hira Mukherjee 1965 Wilfred Wigham Tony Coxon Graham Childs 1966 Eric Preston Mary Maxton Daryl Hepple 1967 Tony Coxon Bessie Murray John Preston Marian Morris Vacant Eric Preston Dick Barnes 1968 Alistair Graham Bert Vallance 1969 Harry Newton Eric Preston Annie Read William MacCreadie Pat McIntyre Brian Hawkins Bill Turner

1970 onwards Faced with a continuing decline in membership, in 1970 the NAC was restructured, with twelve members serving alongside the chair, treasurer and general secretary.

Year Chair Treasurer Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Member Gen Sec 1970 Emrys Thomas Don Bateman David Alexander Tony Coxon Brian Dean Alistair Graham Anne-Marie Graham Brian Hawkins Stan Iveson Colin Livett William MacReadie Pat McIntyre Eric Preston Barry Winter Hira Mukherjee 1971 Hira Mukherjee Barry Winter 1972 Robin Jenkins Danny Keneally David McGregor Jenny Morel

References

Annual Reports of the National Administrative Committee (1893–1970)