The National government, 1931-45 (copy)

Ramsey MacDonald, Stanley Baldwin, Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill

Why did a National government come about in 1931?

* MacDonald, to avoid economic catastrophe following the Wall Street Crash, made cuts in public spending (the most controversial being a proposed cut of ten percent on unemployment benefits) - this resulted in him being expelled from the Labour Party.
* King George V convinced MacDonald (who was ready to resign) to continue to serve as prime minister of a ‘National government’ to to ensure governmental stability during the period of emergency.
* The National government won in the 1931 election by a landslide.

Why did the Conservatives support MacDonald’s National government?

* Baldwin saw that MacDonald would bear the blame for unpopular economic measures, leaving the way clear for a Conservative triumph when the situation improved.

Who were the prime ministers between 1931-45, during the National government?

* Ramsay MacDonald (1931-1935).
* Stanley Baldwin (1935-1937).
* Neville Chamberlain (1937-1940).
* Winston Churchill (1940-1945).

What problems did Baldwin face when he became prime minister following MacDonald’s resignation due to ill health in 1935?

* A plan to appease fascist Italy by giving them two-thirds of Abyssinia was hugely unpopular when leaked to the press; Baldwin had to abandon the plan and pledge to work with the League of Nations to achieve peace in Abyssinia.
* Baldwin was under attack from all sides over rearmament; some wanted rapid rearmament to face the growing threat of Nazi Germany, others wanted disarmament and clear cooperation with the League of Nations; Baldwin offered a clever compromise, Britain would increase spending on rearmament to fulfil any military requests from the League.

How did the outbreak of WW2 negatively impact Baldwin?

* Baldwin was attacked in the 1940s and 1950s as one of the ‘Guilty Men’ who had appeased Hitler.

How did Baldwin handle the Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson scandal that led to him regaining his popular reputation?

* Baldwin advised King Edward VIII to abdicate the throne rather than attempt to marry Wallis Simpson, American divorcee, while king; divorce went against the Church of England (which Edward VIII was the head of) and was a source of social stigma in the 1960s.


* Baldwin gained popular credit for the calm, dignified way he handled the political crisis.

What were Neville Chamberlain’s successes under the National government?

* His attempts to find ‘peace in our time’ were hugely popular with the British public; in 1938, he flew three times (in an age where air travel was still rare) to meet Hitler and resolve a crisis brought on by Hitler’s expansionism.

What were Chamberlain’s failures under the National government?

* He was criticised for his appeasement of Hitler.
* Many poured scorn on his timidity once war had broken out.
* Following the outbreak of the war, parliament were not confident in Chamberlain’s ability to wage a victorious struggle so he was forced from office after a vote of no confidence.

Who replaced Chamberlain as prime minister when he was forced from office?

* Winston Churchill thanks to his backing from Labour and Liberal MPs; the king would have preferred Lord Halifax (who almost certainly would have negotiated peace with Germany).

In regards to the political spectrum, why did the National government (intended to be a temporary solution to the Great Depression) last for 14 years?

* The National government held the centre ground while extreme political parties failed to attract support.

How does the British Union of Fascists (BUF) demonstrate the failure of extremism?

* The Battle of Cable Street (1936); BUF march through East London, an area with many Jewish and Irish ended in a violent clash.
* The struggle against Fascism in WW2 made BUF even more unpopular.
* BUF was banned and its leader, Oswald Mosley, was imprisoned for three years.

How did the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) demonstrate the failure of extremism?

* The CPGB did manage to gain one MP in 924 and 1935 and two in 1945, however, with a maximum of 0.4% of the vote, it is clear Britain rejected communism.
* Home-grown socialism - the trade unions and Labour movement - was more practical that revolutionary socialism.
* Ultimately, the CPGB could only survive in a few inner-city councils and through ‘entryism’ into the Labour Party: communists would conceal their true loyalties and infiltrate the Labour Party to try and steer national politics further to the radical left.

How did WW2 affect British democracy?

* A War Cabinet of five men (Churchill, plus two Tories and two Labour ministers) was set up to make quick decisions about the war.
* New ministries were created; for example, Lord Beaverbrook, a newspaper magnate with no previous political experience, became minister for Aircraft Production.
* The Emergency Powers Act (1940) gave wide-ranging powers over the British people to the government.
* Churchill took the post of Minister for Defence as well as prime minister, he oversaw both the home front and military strategy; his most significant success was his maintenance of public morale and purposefulness. He was careful to maintain the support and prestige of parliament which ensured that the changes he had made would outlive the war.