Chapter 9: Political Developments

nov 1922 election results

conservatives: 330

coalition conservatives: 13

LG liberals: 47

Asq liberals: 41

labour: 142

1923 election results

conservatives: 258

liberals: 159

labour: 191

oct 1924 election results

conservatives: 419

liberals: 40

labour: 191

asquith and lg split reason

created mass divisions within liberal party

electoral costs reason

cons + lab had substantial sources of income from donations or trade unions funds, but libs did not so their campaigns were limited

electoral system reason

'first past the post' - less attractive to people who didn't want to waste their vote

loss of traditional support reason

could no longer rely on the support of the irish nationalists and sin fein boycotted the commons (1918) and home rule for southern ireland had been implemented (1922)

1918 labour constitution meant wc voted for lab

non-conformists church numbers decreased rapidly (1920s)

events that led to the 1923 election

bonar law forced to reign after 8 months due to ill-health and baldwin replaced him with a policy of tariff protection

had to call an election on this issue but received a vote of no confidence and so he was forced to resign in jan 1924

macdonald overtook with a labour minority government, dependant on liberal support

reasons for labour victory

working class switched from lib party as they failed to address post-war needs

labour was organised and well-funded (by trade unions); had members in most constituencies by 1922

1918 formal constitution

gained experienced during the war

1924 labour gov aim

avoid radical policies to show it was capable of protecting britain

social service reforms

old age pensions and dole raised

state scholarships introduced

did not give strikers preferential treatment

wheatley's housing act 1924

increased gov subsidies to LAs for every house built by 50% (from £6 to £9)

to be paid for 40 years, rather than 20 years

insisted these houses were rentable so they benefitted the working class

more than 500,000 houses built by 1933

international relations reforms

supported germany during ruhr crisis (1923)

mac chaired and governed the conference that led to the dawes plan: set up loans for germany to help them pay off their war debts

mac visited league of nations

commercial treaty with russia

macdonald negociated

£30mil in return for assets seized in 1917 revolution

libs and cons argued labour was being 'too soft on communism'

campbell case, sep 1924

gov accused of interfering with the justice system when a left-wing journalist (campbell) urged soldiers to mutiny if ordered to fire on striking workers

mac could have set up a committee of inquiry but insisted that the gov would resign if mps voted in favour of the inquiry and the majority did

what did asquith comment on mac's reaction?

'so wantonly and unnecessarily commit suicide'

the zinoviev letter, 1924 election

daily mail published (believed to be a forgery by lord rothermere, a tory party backer)

supposedly sent from ussr leadership to cpgb to infiltrate labour and use it to bring down the british state

ruthless exploited by cons before polling

conservative dominance impact of ww1

lib split and cons played a key role in coalition

allowed them to highlight their traditional values (patriotism, empire protection and strong defence)

conservative electoral change

1918 rpa: preserved plural voting (double uni grad and business owner votes - mostly conservative)

redistribution of seats which meant more safe seats in southern england

enfranchised female voters largely voted conservative (30+ landowning)

post-war events in ireland

irish nationalists now in their own parliament in dublin

only irish mps in westminister were ulster (pro-tory)

broad-based support

they had support of the wealthy but also of the working and middle classes due to their association with national unity, patriotism, king, empire and self-reliance

conservative funding

donations from upper/middle classes

helped to conduct a highly organised campaign with candidates in every constituency

newspaper support

largely owned by conservative supporters and so they received favourable news coverage

issues that baldwin's gov faced

economic: high employment 'intractable million' + 1926 general strike

gold standard, 1925

£1 equivalent from $3.40 to $4.86, increased its value by 10%

caused more economic problems such as further growth in unemployment

old age pension reform, 1925

workers and wives received a pension of 10 shillings a week at the age of 65 and over

workers' pensions introduced

national insurance act, 1925

unemployment insurance could now be claimed indefinitely provided 'genuinely seeking work'

local government act, 1929

gave local authorities extra duties concerning roads, health, maternity and child-care

greater responsibility than anywhere else in europe

phased out workhouses and abolished board of guardians (authorities that administered poor law)

industry and agriculture reforms

all farms + 25% of factories exempt from local rates ('de-rated') in hope it would stimulate the economy and employers would take on more workers

1926 electricity act

set up central electricity board (ceb)

effective power grid to distribute current and modern power stations; improved efficiency

bbc established

1922 (british broadcasting company)

became a public broadcasting 'corporation' in 1927

1928 equal franchise act

gave votes to women on equal terms with men

electorate increased from 22 to 29mil

2mil more female than male voters

role of baldwin

historian ball writes he 'captured the spirit of the age' and stood for post-war conservatism through the use of radio

was meant to be replaced by lord cuzorn but too risky so stayed in position

role of chamberlain

minister of health

his social reforms earned him a reputation of the most effective social reformer of the inter-war years

clear vision: managed to pass the majority of his planned social programme

1925: signed locarno treaty with stressemann which meant germany guaranteed to respect german border with france

role of churchill

chancellor of exchequer

worked well with cabinet and chamberlain

handled the general strike well