Revolutionary Policy Committee

The Revolutionary Policy Committee (RPC) was a faction within the former political party Independent Labour Party of the United Kingdom.

Related Topics:
Political party - Independent Labour Party - United Kingdom

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The RPC was formed in 1931 by members of the Independent Labour Party (ILP) who were especially unhappy with the gradualist policies of the Second Labour Government (1929-31). The RPC was founded by Jack Gaster, a lawyer and son of the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of England and Dr C.K. Cullen, a medical inspector from Poplar.

Related Topics:
1931 - Second Labour Government - Jack Gaster - Sephardic

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The RPC was particularly active in London and its initial focus was on advocating the disaffiliation of the ILP from the Labour Party. After they succesfully achived this aim in 1932, the RPC sought to bring closer cooperation between the ILP and the Communist Party of Great Britain and advocating affiliation to the Comintern. In 1933, the RPC sucessfully persuaded the ILP to adopt the policy of merging with the Communist Party, although this was never followed through. Within the ILP, the RPC became increasingly seen as Communist entryists, and aroused strong feelings which led in 1934 to a split in the party as some of their opponents, led by John Middleton Murry and Elijah Sandham, left to form the Independent Socialist Party. By 1935 the RPC's influence was waning and after internal divisions about the appropriate response to the Abyssinian Crisis of 1935, the leading members of the Committee decided to wind up the RPC, leave the ILP and join the Communist Party.

Related Topics:
London - 1932 - Communist Party of Great Britain - Comintern - 1933 - 1934 - John Middleton Murry - Elijah Sandham - Independent Socialist Party - 1935 - Abyssinian Crisis

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