The defeat of the General Strike and the Miners' Lock-out produced a right wing backlash and the Bolton Socialist Party along with other revolutionary groups' influence and membership began to fade away.
Early in the 1920s some ILP members joined the Communist Party, while others joined the Labour Party. Indeed in 1921 a majority voted to affiliate to Bolton Labour Party.
Despite its gradual demise, however, the Bolton Socialist Party was never formally disbanded. Over the years membership of club and party became synonymous.
Even now an application to join the club is an application to join the 'party'.