Labour Party; Labor Party.
In Great Britain, the spelling is “Labour Party”; in Australia, the spelling is “Labor Party.” How should Americans spell the name of the British party? Most newspapers Americanize the spelling, making it “Labor,” but the better practice is to spell this proper name, like any other, the way the nameholder spells it — e.g.:
o “Opposition leader John Smith died from a heart attack Thursday, creating a crisis for the Labor [read ‘Labour’] Party just as it was looking strong enough to regain control of government after 15 years on the sidelines.” “British Opposition Leader Dies,” Dallas Morning News, 13 May 1994, at A10.
o “Mr. Blair, the 43-year-old leader of the Labor [read ‘Labour’] Party, entered 10 Downing Street to the jubilant cheers of flag-waving supporters.” Warren Hoge, “Blair Takes Charge, Vowing ‘Practicable’ Policies,” N.Y. Times, 3 May 1997, at 1.
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Quotation of the Day: “It is very possible that teachers of English may have underrated the utility of imitation as a means of gaining facility in many details of composition. By it, if the student is observant and thoughtful, may be gained many touches and turns of expression, many ways of handling thoughts, many practical ideas of style, which no rules or precepts alone could impart.” John F. Genung, Outlines of Rhetoric v-vi (1893).
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