Politics in War Time

Created by: Eshe Jones
Created on: 16-05-19 15:57

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Politics In Wartime
- the 1915 Coalition
  - Shell Scandal
    - shortage of shells o the western front
    - conservatives threatened to go against liberals
    - press threatened to stop support
  - all-party coalition
  - May 1915
  - not efficient
    - 23 ministers
    - could not make quick decisions
  - most key positions held by Liberals
  - by 1916 conservative had fully withdrawn support for Asquith
  - December 1916 - Lloyd George suggests a smaller war cabinet
  - 3rd December 1916 - Asquith resigns from the cabinet and alows Lloyd George to form smaller cabinet
    - 4th December - Asquith demands to be part of war cabinet
      - Lloyd George resigns from coalition
        5th December - conservative members also resign
        5th December - Asquith resigns as Prime Minister
        6th December - Lloyd George becomes Prime Minister
        Lloyd George creates new cabinet
        5 members
        mostly conservative
  - viewed as patriotic and effective
- Lloyd George
  - Lloyd George Fall
    - Llyd George was Prime Minister in a weak position
      - Leader of a severely divided party
      - relied on previous opposition
    - Honours scandal
      - 1922
      - Accused Lloyd George of selling peerages to finance his own political party
        Peerage is a titleas a lord which gives you hereditary rights to sit in the house of lords
    - economic depression
    - cuts in government spending
    - increasing trade unon activity
      - 86 million working days lost in 1921
    - trouble in Ireland
    - May 1921 Bonar Law resigns due to ill health
      - weakens Lloyd Georges position
    - Chanak Affair
      - foreign policy crisis
        Accused of ordering troops into action without consulting the coalition
    - October 1922 by-election gave conservatives confidence that they could win an election without Lloyd George coalition
      - including Bonar Law
      - Lloyd George resigns
      - October 1922 election
        Conservatives 330
        
        Liberals 116
        
        Labour 142
  - supported the coalition
  - understood the demands of the Home Front
  - 1914 - Minister of Munitions
  - 1916 - Secretary of War
  - 1908 - Chancellor of the Exchequer
  - 1916 - Prime Minister
  - Untitled
- Bonar Law
  - Close relationship with Lloyd George, was confided in by George
  - raised £600 million via a war loan campaign
    - 1917
  - Resigns due to ill health in May 1921
- Liberal Division
  - many Liberals not happy with conscription
    - 1916
  - further divides during the Maurice debate
    - February 1918
    - General Maurice claimed the British army had lied about the strength of the British army
  - After his resignation Liberal members still saw Asquith as their leader
    - 2/3 Liberals supported Asquith
    - 1/3 supported Lloyd George
    - still pledged to support the government in conduct of war
    - mny viewed George as a traitor
- the Labour Party
  - the 1918 Labour constitution
    - policies for post-war Britain
    - February 1918
    - Party would be composed of various affiliated groups
      - trade unions
      - socialist societies
      - co-operative societies
      - Local Labour parties
    - managed by 23 members
      - elected at annual party conference
    - Clause VI
      - "means of production, distribution and exchange" was to be taken over by government
    - trade unions have more power
  - almost split at the end of 1914 due to divided beliefs in the international cooperation of the working class
    - Ramsay MacDonald refused to support the war
    - Arthur Henderson and most Labour supporters supported war
  - Aurthur Henderson was the first Labour to get a place in the cabinet
  - had an influence in social policy
  - fixed war time rents at prewar level
  - price controls set in place in 1917
  - excess profits duty in 1915
  - left coalition when Arthur Henderson was refused entrance to the Stockholm Conference
    - looking at ways to bring about a negotiated peace
- 1918 'coupon' election
  - Those who fought in the election for conservative/George's Liberals got a coupon
  - larger electorate due to the Representation of the People Act
    - February 1918
    - tripled electorate
  - December 1918
  - Results
    - Conservatives 344
    - Asquiths Liberals 62
    - Lloyd George's Liberals 53
    - Labour 142
  - The new coalition government
    - depended on conservative support
    - Lloyd George remained Prime Minister but in a weak position
    - 1918 Education Act
      - raised school leaving age to 14
      - gave LEA's money to increase teacher wages
    - 1919 Addison's Housing Act
      - obliges all local Authorities to ensure decent housing
    - 1920 Unemployment act extended
      - covered a further 12 million people
    - 1920 Agriculture Act
      - maintaining war time prices of wheat and oats
- Britain declared war on Germany 4th August 1914
  - Liberal crisis seemed to vanish
- DORA
  - 8th August 1914
  - Defence of the Realm act
  - gives the state unprecedented level of control over peoples lives
  - Acts did not have to pass through parliament
  - passed without debate
  - censorship
  - 1916 - conscription
  - 1918 - rationing

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Politics in War Time

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