Political Parties By 1914

• Huge losses in 1906
• Made progress in the 1910 elections - same no. of seats as the liberals (ish con 273, lib 275)
• Split over issue of Tariff Refroms
• Austen Chaimberlain (Josephs son) was the leader of the Tariff Reform movement tried to gain working class support in the 1910 elections 
• Said Tariff Reforms would reduce unemployment as industry would grow
• They lost the battle over the House of Lords
• Balfour resigned over the issue
• By 1914 they gained support by thier focus on the empire - patriotic  

1906 - 2 groups: socialists and the trade unionists

Leaders (chairmen of the party):

• Keir Hardie - up until 1907
• Arthur Henderson - 1908 - 1910
• Barnes - 1910
• Ramsey MacDonald - 1910 - 1914

Successes:

• Guv accepted their advice in 1906 when planning Trade Disputes Act
• Miners MPs swithed their support from the liberals to labour in commons
• 1910 election - won 45 seats
• MPs gained a salary in 1911
• Had gains at local levels (town councils)
• Growing support of the trade unions - vital

• Unable to impose its will on the liberal party after the trade disputes bill 
• Disunity and disillusion in the Labour ranks
• MPs tended to be dull, stretched financially and inarticulate
• Divisions over National Insurance and Suffragettes
• Few plans for reform and they were uneasy about Liberals reforms
• Couldn't be seen to reject refroms - party for the workers 
• The Osborne Judgement of 1909 made it illegal for trade unions to contribute to any party's funds
• Feared a 3rd general election in 1910, cost
• MPs fallen to 36 by 1914 after unsuccessful by election

Successes

• 1910 - lost huge majority and became dependent on the support of the Irish Nationalists and Labour
• Programme of social reform had not been the vote-winning policy hoped for
• Aspects of their social policy can be seen as successful
• Liberals has successfully passed the Parliament Act 
• Defeated the power of the Conservatives on the House of Lords

Negatives

• Social reforms not pleased everybody
• Dependent of the Irish MPs - demanding home rule
• To have problems with the suffragettes up to 1914 and with industrial unrest