Britain Transformed topic 1

Trade Union

an organised association of workers in a trade or profession, formed to protrect and further their rights and interests.

Coalition

a temporary alliance for combined action, especially of political parties forming a government.

First past the post

An electoral system in which the candidate receiving the highest number of votes in a constituency is returned to parliament. None of the other votes cast in that constituency count for anything at all. It is the system in Britain

Franchise/Electorate

those who have the right to vote in elcetions

What political parties dominated in Britain in the 1800s and early 1900s?

Conservatives and Liberals

What were the liberal government forced to do as a result of the war?

make illiberal measures

What illiberal measures were made because of the war?

Conscription, rationing

why did illiberal measures lead to a split in the Liberal Party?

David Lloyd George who was in favour of the measures usurped Henry Asquith, prime minister.

Who was David Lloyd George?

Chancellor, Liberal Party. He usurped PM Henry Asquith.

Why did the split impact the liberal party?

There was a divide between supporting more traditional PM, Henry Asquith and David Lloyd George, chancellor, who was in favour of illiberal measures.

What happened by the 1918 election?

The liberal party did not reunite in time for the election.

Who was Lloyd George forced to rely on to gain more support?

Conservatives (Coalition)

What happened in the 1918 election?

Lloyd Georges 's Liberal- Conservative coalition won

What was the Cash For Honours Scandal?

Lloyd George had discretely sold knighthoods & peerages in which several of these chosen people had criminal convictions

What was the impact of the Cash For Honours Scandal?

• Lloyd George's Credibility was damaged

• 1925 Prevention of Abuses Act was created

Before 1918, who could vote?

Men who owned a certain amount of land

Why did Lloyd George Refuse to share funds with the party?

He refused until members of the liberal party who were still loyal to Asquith began to support his ideas

What was the Representation of the People Act?

Women aged 30+, who were householders could vote, all men aged 21+ could vote.

When was the Representation of the People Act?

1918 December

What was the impact of the Representation of the People Act?

The electorate trebled in size

There was an increase in votes for the labour as more working class could vote.

What did the electorate triple from and to?

7.7mn to 21.4mn

When was the chanak incident?

September 1922

What was the chanak incident?

The Turks wanted to force Greek, British and French troops out of occupied positions in Turkey. Turkish troops marched in British positions, Lloyd George wanted war.

Why did the Chanak incident make Lloyd George look bad?

The war was publicly opposed by army generals and much of the country didn't want another war. This led to the tories rejecting the coalition with the liberals.

What happened at the Carlton Club meeting?

It was a private meeting between conservative leaders held at a country club. It was agreed to abandon the coalition with the liberals as they felt strong enough to lead on their own

What was the result of the November 1922 election?

it was a disaster for the liberals and showed their rapid decline

What years was Asquith Prime minister?

1908-1916

What year did the liberals split and Lloyd George became PM?

1916

When did the conservatives win the election?

Nov 1918

Who became prime minister in 1922?

Stanley Bonar Law

What were some weaknesses of the Liberal Party?

• Post war split in the liberal party

• Lloyd George lost credibility after the cash for honours scandal

• 1921, 86 mn days lost to strikes

• failed to adopt more class based voting habits and alienated working class

• poor party organisation and finances

What were the strengths of the liberal party?

• Fisher Education Act (1918) extended educational provision by increasing school leaving age and abolishing fees in state primary schools.

• Lloyd George was known as the man who had won the war

• introduced sickness pay for workers and unemployment benefits

• maintained a post- war coalition

When was the Labour Party formed?

1900

Who was the first labour government led by?

Ramsay Macdonald

When did Ramsay Macdonald become Prime Minister?

1924

Why did Labour gain support from trade unions?

The war led to a huge increase in trade union membership and trade unions supported the party financially and provided a vast bulk of membership.

Why were Labour popular in the 1920s?

Appealed to working classes

Why did Macdonalds government collapse in 1924?

Campbell Case

What was the Campbell Case?

A left wing journalist, Campbell, wrote an article in a communist magazine and is arrested for trying to start a mutiny.

Macdonald used his positions to get the charges dropped.

Why did MacDonald resign?

People reacted poorly and MacDonald lost a vote of no confidence and calls an election. Conservatives win.

How long did MacDonalds government last?

9 months

What years were 'conservative dominance' ?

1924-29

Who was the 1924 conservative PM?

Stanley Baldwin

Who did Baldwin aim to appeal to?

All social classes

He was an 'ordinary man of the people'

What methods did Baldwin use to appeal to the people?

Radio - talk with people directly

Ran factories fairly to promote harmony between workers and employers

How did Baldwin win over Lloyd George's remaining supporters?

Adopting protectionism in 1923

What voting system benefitted the Tories?

Plural Vote which allowed some universities, including Oxford and Cambridge and City of London to return 2 MPs. These areas were almost always conservative.

What is protectionism?

Use of import taxes to make foreign goods more expensive and protect domestic producers.

When does Baldwin drop protectionism and why?

1924 - the people disliked it

What was plural voting?

You could vote in your hometown and place of residence.

When was the labour representation committee founded?

1900

who estabilished the independent labour party?

Kier Hardie

when was the independent labour party estabilished?

1893

When did the LRC become the labour party?

1906