Britian 1906-14 - The Liberal Landslide

• Landslide victory for Liberal Party
• Won majority in Commons + overall majority
• 400 seats vs. Tories 157
•   PM A. J. Balfour + most of Conservative cabinet lost seats
•  1922 B4 Conservatives won election again.
•  10 % 'swing' to Libs
• Lancashire switched sides (heart of Britain's manufacturing district)
• Gains in London & SE
•  Birmingham loyal to Conservatives - local support for Joseph Chamberlain
• Libsvictory surprising - not in government for 20 years - beaten 1900
• Emergence of Labs in Commons

·         1900 - helped Conservatives win election - patriotic support Cons + split Libs

·         Longer run – contributed to Cons defeat

·         More costly in lives and money than expected

·         Methods used caused moral outrage

·         Revealed effect of poverty in cities + need for social reforms

·         Libs gained support by claiming Cons neglected this.

·         Encouraged Joseph Chamberlain to push for tariff reform - divisions

·         End of war 1902 - Libs healed divisions + offered  strong alternative

•   Annoyed nonconformists - many reverted to Libs
•   <1902 - Anglican & Catholic schools funded by churches
•  1902 Act = all schools funded from local rates
• Nonconformists didnt want to pay for schools they opposed.
•  Campaign launched - english NCs refused to pay taxes & David Lloyd George led campaign in wales
• Conference Cardiff 1903 - suggested Welsh refused & argued they were too rundown as excuse to make campaign legal
• LG persuaded then to show disapproval by voting Libs in Welsh 1904 county council elections

• Aimed to reduce number of pubs
•  Annoyed nonconformist voters - forced to compensate brewers & publicans for the cancellation of licences
• 'Brewers' bill' - brewers support Tories
•  Most NCs voted Liberal B4 & switched away over Home Rule
• NCs strong in Wales - could swing vote
• Libs support >ed in by lections after 1902 and 1904 Acts - revival of Libs after divisions over Boer War

• Caused scandal - damaged Cons govt
• Angered NCs & TUists
• Chinese labourers imported into South Africa to work gold/diamond mines for low wages
• Moral outcry from NCs
• TUs feared they would come to B & push down wages
• Unemployment high 1905 - no benefits
• Cons lost > support

• 1901 - dispute between Taff Vale Railway Company & railway workers' trade union & led to strike
• Company took TU to cour t& demanded compensation for loss of profits
• 1902 - Lords allowed company to sue trade union
• TUs horrified - almost impossible to call strikes
• Act of Parliament could over-rule Lords - Cons refused
• TUs supported idea of Labour group in parliament and campaigned against Conservatives in election

• Cons lost support - didnt support TUs

·        Growing awareness of poverty in early 1900s

·         Boer War exposed malnutrition esp. in cities

·    Concerns about decline of British race

·         Some Libs working on ‘New Liberalism’ -  would play >er role in >ing living standards for destitute

·         LRC also campaigning for  reforms

·         Cons only passed 1902 Education Act

• 1903 - launched in Birmingham by J Chamberlain.
• Wanted to reintroduce tariffs- lower tariffs empire goods than for goods from elsewhere - Imperial Protectionism.
• C argued this would protect British jobs, pay for social reforms & strengthen B's position
• W & M/C feared tariffs would > food costs and < living standards.
• Divided Conservatives - Churchill voted with Libs
• Helped to reunite & strengthen Libs - believed in Free Trade

·         A. J. Balfour lacked political skill

·         Not sensitive to public opinion

·         Indecisive on tariffs

·         Piloted 1902 Education Bill 

·         Misunderstood W/C men's reaction to tariff reform, Taff Vale & Chinese slavery

• allowed Chamberlain to make tariff reform key policy

·   Responsible for timing of 1906 election - decided  his govt should step down December 1905

·        1905 - reunited party -  debated issues put to one side

·         Boer War over

·         Leadership agreed on

·       United by Free Trade - 'bread and butter' issue of elections

·        Henry Campbell-Bannerman promoted 'broad' party - not dominated by one issue

·    Exploit Cons mistakes - TU support

·    Nonconformist support - education and licensing acts

·        Promised Welsh Disestablishment.

·      Pro Home-Rule - Irish support 

• Libs forged agreement with LRC - would not oppose Labs in 30 selected constituencies where Labs more likely to win & vice versa
• Split in anti-Tory vote NE Lanark by-election 1901 - Libs wanted to prevent this
• Labour had election fund of £150,000
• Reduced Libs election costs - < opposition·         
• Agreement about social reform & WC reform - Lib/Lab campaigns against 1902 Education Act & Chinese slavery
•  Shared similar ideas; Free Trade; 
• Both promised cheap food & promoted idea of peace and 'international harmony'
• Lab seemed safe allies - MacDonald moderate leader
• LRC got organised, established constituency branches & drew up manifesto
• 50 candidates & won 29 seats, 5 against Libs
• New political power - renamed 'The Labour Party'.
• >ed Cons defeat