Section 1- The Liberal Crisis 1906-14

How many seats did the liberals win in 1906 election?

A landslide victory with 401 seats

Main factors in the 1906 election

Boer War, 1902 education act, 1904 licensing act, Chinese labour issue, Taff vale case. lack of social reform, tariff reform campaign, conservative leadership, liblab pact

Boer War

South African war which lasted longer than expected, was more expensive and costly in lives. Exposed moral issues, concentration camps used by British and physical decline of Britain, malnutrition in bigger cities. The conservative war that turned out badly in the long term

1902 education act

fury of nonconformists and a revert to the liberal party. all schools to be funded by local rates rather than by churches, seemed another win for CofE. IN reality a very good step forward for British education by standardising it

1904 licencing act

aimed to reduce the number of public houses, but annoyed non-conformists by suggesting to compensate brewers and pubs for cancellation of licences. ‘Brewers Bill’

Chinese labour issue/Chinese slavery

An influx of chinses workers in south africa who would work for low wages in overcrowded camps. Moral outcry and angered Trade Unionist who feared it would push wages down

Taff Vale Case

1901 strike on the taff vale railway company ended in the company taking the trade union to court for compensation for loss of profits during the strike. It came to the house lords and there it was ruled that Taff Vale were within rights to sue, which made it near impossible to call successful strikes in any industry form then on. Angered trade unionists and encouraged support for Labour in government

Lack Of Social reform

Conservatives had produced nothing in terms of social reform and poor relief despite the growing awareness of poverty and the work of Booth and Roundtree

Tariff reform campaign

1903 launched by Joseph Chamberlain. Wanted to reintroduced tariffs with imperial preference. Said it would boost British industry, bring money for social reform, strengthen empire. Split the Tories, helped reunite the liberals over free trade and cheap food a concern for all classes

‘Bread adn Butter’ reform

The liberal name for the Tariff reform proposed by Chamberlain

Who crossed the floor over tariff reform?

Winston Churchill in 1904

Conservative leadership

Balfour as conservative PM worsened their position, he lacked political skill and not sensitive to public opinion or social issues

Lib-Lab Pact 1903

pact between liberals and labour as not to split the anti-conservative vote. Liberals agreed not to put a candidate against labour in 30 constituencies and LBR promised to restrict candidates in other places. Worked against liberals ion long run, gave lots of seats to the new Labour party, but at the time meant that they had financial benefits and left wing support, and were able to defeat conservatives.