Hardie, James Keir, 1856-1915, British labor leader and socialist, b. Scotland. A coal miner, he became a union organizer and in 1888 founded the Scottish Labour party. In 1892, Hardie entered Parliament, becoming the first independent workers' representative to secure election. He was a founder (1893) and first president (1893-1900) of the Independent Labour party and was instrumental in forming (1900) the Labour Representation Committee, which became the Labour party.