P9 - Balfour + 1906 election : 1906-1914 politics

Parties by 1902 (4)

Conservative - Balfour PM, with Pro ultster, lib unionists support

Liberals - Lord Rosebury, had LG - pro home rule

Labour - TUs

Irish national party -created by Parnell but after death Redmond led + pro home rule - had power balance in minority gov

Recent issues

TU weak due to Taff Vale + R vs Druitt + Lyon vs Watkins made striking difficult - looking for political solution

non-conformists wanted great alcohol controls

upsets from 1870 education act upset non-conformists with Anglican schools still remaining in 1902

2 HR bills blocked in HOL

Balfour PM

took office 1902-05 when his uncle Lord Salisbury resigned in 1902 - 20 years of domination prior, winning 2 general elections

was chief sec of Ireland 1887-91

defeated in 1906 election - greatest electoral defeat of conservatives - helped the revive + strengthen of the libs

Why did he lose the election

potentially public want change from conservative dominance of 20 years 

passed acts which offended sections of BR - alienated them . Specifically :

1) 1902 Education act

required as BR falling behind other nations e.g. in tech education such as BR + FR - belief improve national efficiency and essential for an efficient and proper funded education system was essential to create a modern state

based on work of Robert Morant

• designed to tidy education system

• school boards replace LEA and run education in local areas - would make elementary education + provide secondary also

• this led to some creating fee paying secondary school

• LEA element + sec paid for by rates + some gov grant help

• LEA also have to support local voluntary schools out of the rates + improve their standard

Why did it cause upset non-conformists + tax payers

-rates increase if schools increased 

-annoyed non-conformists due to rates used to fund voluntary schools which they objected

libs able to use this anger regain their fight  + united them 

also controversy for Lib unionists with some non-conformists so anger them also

e.g. 70,000 ppl rather prosecuted than pay them

“Rome on the rates”

Long term impact

change in social policy

remained till 1944 and can be described as Balfour greatest achievement

led to 25,000 schools by 1939

also answered national efficiency

2) Tariff reform 

Joe Chamberlain launched tariff reform campaign in 1903 to create breathing room from cheap imports

tax non-empire goods - “imperial preference”

argued:

• fund social reform 

• closer links with empire into a unit + self sufficiency 

• encourage to buy BR as less expensive than foreign goods, appealing to some working + mid class ppl

Conservative party opposition

tariff reform split the party, weakening Unionists party + strengthened libs + alienated conservative voters

Balfour adopted a “fence sitting” strat  - indecisive led to party split

-Joe headed Tariff reform League -didn’t have support of cabinet led to Chamberlain resign from cabinet in 1903

-Unionists who opposed created Free food League in 1903 + also some defected to libs e.g. Churchill

Public view of Tariff reform

many unconvinced and didn’t see the point when trade positive in 1905

worried unable to expand goods abroad 

would increase food prices - worry mid and work class - “big Loaf” “little Loaf” campaign - help unite Asquith and libs party

sceptical if they would actually use profits for social reform

3) Boer War effects 1899-1902

short term - won 1900 khaki election

long term - most saw BR as true aggressor against a small nation with opposition of libs that opposed the war - “Pro-Boers”

-dragging war with Boers adopting guerrilla tactics - unpopular + costly (live / money) + unpopular as weren’t winning against Boers

-gov + Kitchener condemned for setting concertation camps that “protected women + kids”, but had malnutrition + disease 

-malnutrition of the army - need social reform 

-Elgin committee revealed war incompetence - late making dreadnoughts 

when war ended was embarrassing and costly -led to calls for tariff reform by Joe chamberlain

4) Taff Vale Case 1901

remove striking power from Tus

wc felt cons using law in interest of wealth 

-his refusal to pass legislation to reverse angered ppl 

-grew support for LRC with 127 unions joining them + allowed them to win by-elections 

5) Chinese Slavery 1902- 1904

“coolies” would work on low wages, being imported to South Africa to work on Transvaal gold mines to revive the economy there

not treated as free ppl as placed in compounds that were squalor

-led to Australia, Canada, New Zealand protests

-upset non-conformists morally

-worried TUs as with unemployment high in 1905 they could be brought to Br

-also outraged by inhuman treatment of labourers

libs used scandal on humanitarian grounds, whilst Balfour used claim it was over-exaggerated

6) Licensing act of 1904

deal with drunkenness problem, with too many pubs in certain areas

stated licence revoked if too many or frequent alcohol related crimes in an area,

led to closing down pubs but compensation of fund licensees had already paid into 

reasons for unpopularity

-libs/ non-conformists temperance movement felt it didn’t solve the problem + annoyed compensation given  - led to non-conformists move shift to libs again 

-brewers unhappy as had to pay into fund - compensating themselves basically

criticized as a half-hearted act

7) Neglect of social reform

had reputation of passing social reform, so expectation it would be furthered

Balfour unkeen, when social reform was needed and believed in self-help apart from Education act 1902

especially when poverty was a major issue: Booth + Rowntree reports - 30% ppl below poverty line 

lack of investment with money going abroad

Boer war revealed malnutrition issues - many unfit for war

4% workers unemployed and was rising in 1904-05 + no unemployment benefit until 1905 Unemployment workmen act which TU and labour saw as not enough

8) Liberal Party

threat by 1905 as re-united, under free-trade banner

Campbell Bannerman didn’t reduce the party to one issue but broadened it by making the programme vague

exploited the conservative mistakes using anger from Tus and non-conformists

also promised Welsh disestablishment - end power of Anglican church in England and Wales

also party supporting home rue so more likely to vote lib

9)Lib -lab pact

1903 libs and LRC stated libs would not stand against labour candidates in 30 selected constituencies, where labour candidates more likely to defeat conservatives

allowed libs to spend less on campaign against LRC

both parties agreement of social + Working class reform + free trade 

contrastingly cons less organised after Middletons resignation 

10) Balfour personality 

didn’t connect the mood of the people + proved indecisive, lacking political skill and foresight on the upset some reforms would have on ppl

DEC 1905 resigned after 3 years, with his party divided

poor timing as next election was 1907, but led to libs taking power in a minority gov under Bannerman   

hoped libs unable to form a gov due to divisions over empire + Ireland + leadership disagreements  and make a mess of the country 

-led to Bannerman calling gen election in 1906 and won 

Irish issue - Wyndham’s land act 1903

made it easier for peasants to buy land + led to peasant ownership , with 2/3 of Irish farmers owning own land at cost of £89 mil to BR gov

didn’t address Home rule so issue still not gone

led to forming of Ulster Unionist Council - as worried giving to self-gov to Ireland 

debate Cons or Libs reason

Cons alienated many voters driving them away, reviving + reunited the libs as had more to offer even when thy had a negative election campaign

used the cons failures to their advantage

many voters abstained in 1900 or many wanted change

lib landslide with 401 MPs elected vs 157 unionists