How true is it to say that WW1 was key in the decline of the Liberals?

P1 - Deep rooted idealogical divisions (opposes starment)

• Though reunited by Cambell-Bannerman & had landslide victory of 400 seats in 1906, there were deep divisions going back to 1888 split over Gladstones HR

• Leaders after Gladstone & divisions over imperialism led them weakened & lacking financial support

• After 1910: Liberals were reliant on INP for majority suggesting they were already in decline before WW1

• Pre WW1 Crises: Asquith poor handling of Ulster Crisis, suffrage movement and industrial unrest led to loss of support

• HOWEVER →Challenges to Liberal Idealogy during War

• Demands of WW1 challenged core beliefs of individual liberty & freedom eg. Asquith pressured into Military Services Act 1916 (Introduced conscription) leading to 50 Liberal MPs resigning in protest & DORA Aug 1914 (huge expansion of state power & intervention, press censorship, control of railways and coal mines, strict pub opening hours etc)

• Liberals had to appeal to nationalist tendencies when generally anti imperialist

• After May 1915 → Cons in coalition and their idealogy better suited demands of WW1

P2 - Actions of DLG (opposes statement)

• DLG popular after WW1 as “the man who won the war” but seen to Abandon Liberal principles hence lost popularity & dented Liberals’ reputation eg. Through Peerage Scandal 1922, Thank Crisis etc

• Didn’t deliver on promise to build homes fit for heroes due to inability to deal with post-war economic problems

• Too reliant on Cons so lost touch with Liberal base

• HOWEVER - Asquith's handling of WW1 severely criticised & seen as weak and indecisive

• Criticised for delegating too much power to Generals and Admirals

• DLG exploited criticism over Shell Crisis etc. & eventually forced Aquith to resign before taking control with support of Cons

• Effectively formed 2 parties eg. Lloyd Georgians VS Asquithian Liberals

• Dec 1918 - DLG had to continue coalition with Cons to stay in power→ Coalition total MPs 478 (Cons 332, Libs (LG) 127 & Labour 63) whereas Asquithian Liberals 28

• Dominant position of Cons in HOC & significant roles within Coalition cabinet suggests DLG became “a prisoner of the Conservatives”

P3 - Long term impact of 1918 Representation of the People Act

• Urbanisation & industrialisation led to increasing calls for democratisation & gradually extension of franchise in 19th Century

• WSPU & NUWSS had been campaigning for female vote before WW1

• 1918 → 13M wc and mc men and women enfranchised largely as direct result of contributions during WW1

• MC women generally supported Cons & WC men turned to Labour → eventually replaced Liberals as 2nd party

• HOWEVER → Labour was already steadily growing votes since its formation at turn of century: TUs financing helped their campaigns

• Appealed for more social reform and protection for workers

• During WW1, Labour MPs like Henderson gained ministerial experience within wartime coalitions & after 1918 Election they became official opposition by going from 42 MPs to 63 MPs in 1918 & support set to further increase as more WC gained vote

Conclusion

• Partly valid as WW1 established damaging effects such as its role in splitting party

• Though, it is certainly not a key factor and has only simply accelerated an existing pattern of decline, Rejecting Historian Wilson's view that Liberals were already in strong position before WW1 & that was the runaway bus in causing Liberals decline

• Problems rooted from 1888 split due to HR. harsh dealing of issues eg. With women suffrage, industrial unrest and HR proved decline to be inevitablan and proves to be a greater factor