. ▁ ▁Th rel fall ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁South port ▁Town ▁Council , ▁and ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁South port ▁Tr ades ▁Council . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁Typ ographical ▁Association , ▁and ▁champion ed ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁working ▁men ▁standing ▁for ▁election ▁to ▁Parliament . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁he ▁persu aded ▁the ▁Association ▁to ▁spons or ▁two ▁candidates : ▁Frederick ▁M add ison , ▁and ▁Th rel fall ▁himself , ▁who ▁stood ▁for ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 6 ▁general ▁election ▁in ▁She ff ield ▁Hall am . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁the ▁Tr ades ▁Union ▁Congress ▁( T UC ) ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁South port , ▁and ▁Th rel fall ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁its ▁President . ▁At ▁the ▁following ▁con gress , ▁he ▁convinced ▁the ▁T UC ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁Labour ▁Elect oral ▁Committee , ▁to ▁spons or ▁candidates ▁for ▁election ▁to ▁Parliament . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁body ' s ▁first ▁Secretary , ▁and ▁focused ▁his ▁activity ▁on ▁forming ▁local ▁labour ▁elect oral ▁organis ations , ▁affili ated ▁to ▁the ▁national ▁body . ▁The ▁Committee ▁was ▁renamed ▁as ▁the ▁" Lab our ▁Elect oral ▁Association ", ▁and ▁although ▁it ▁champion ed ▁representation ▁through ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party , ▁it ▁did ▁spons or ▁Ke ir ▁Hard ie ' s ▁independent ▁candid acy ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 8 ▁Mid ▁Lan ark shire ▁by - e lection . ▁ ▁Th rel fall ▁stood