 The Labour group on the council remained divided . The group 's leader was Luke Hogan ( 1885 – 1954 ) , of Irish stock and closely identified with the Catholic caucus . He enjoyed the strong support of around two @-@ thirds of the Labour councillors ; the Braddocks , and from 1932 Sydney Silverman , were part of the smaller leftist wing of the group . Clashes between the two sides were frequent , the main contention being the supposed attempts by Hogan and his followers to " catholicise " the local party . When in 1936 Hogan tried to block the renewal of a grant to a local birth control clinic , Bessie led a cross @-@ party rebellion of councillors which ensured that the grant was maintained . She argued that most of the 87 women who had died in childbirth the previous year might have survived with access to contraception . 
