Reasons for the Liberal Decline 1924? (British Politics 1918-1929)(British Period Study: Britain 1918-1951)(Britain 1900-1951)

The 1924 election concilliated the downfall of the Liberal party.

1924 Election

• Brough pro-Lloyd George Conservatives back into the mainstream.
• First decisive victory of the 20th century with an overall majority.
• Liberals lost heavily

The Liberal vote was split between Labour & Conservative

• Liberals voted Conservative because...
  • Concerned about...
    • Socialism
    • The rise in the power of the state.
    • Unrealistic foreign policies
  • Voted Conservative as an alternative to Labour, who emboded those concerns.
• Liberals voted Labour because...
  • Admired progressive and peaceful foreign policy & domestic reforms.
    • Characterised the Labour government 1924.
  • Were concerned about growing class divisions.

Labour was the new alternatve to the Conservatives, not the Liberals

• 1924 government showed Labour was a credible governing party.
  • Now had government experience.
  • Already had cabinet experience in Coalition.

Liberals lost their strength as a party

• Free trade disappeared as an issue
  • Had been the major political idea of the Liberals.
  • Could no longer unite behind it.
• Lloyd George left as a party chairman.
  • Had little hope of regaining power
• Asquith lost his seat in 1924, made a lord in 1925
  • Led the reunited Liberals until 1926, died in 1928
• Had no strong leaders or strong issues to back.

• Liberals no longer represented major economic interests
  • Trade unionists saw Labour as their party.
  • Business, industrial and finanical interests did not see Liberals as defending them against socialism and state control.
  • Free trade no longer a key issue.
• Had to give up traditional values during the war.
  • Peace, retrenchment and reform.
  • Were leading bigger war ever fought by Britain; conflicted value of peace.
  • Built enormous national war debt; coflicuted with value oif retrenchment.
  • High levels of taxation and expenditure
  • Reforms had to be put on hold due to the war.
  • Freedom had to be sacrificed to the state
    • Conscription 1916
    • Controlling transport.
    • Nationalising mines.
    • Dominating industrial production - Munitions of War Act 1915
    • DORA

• Liberals found their needs by other parties.
  • Working class & trade unionists now had Labour.
  • Representation of the People Act 1918 - electorate now inlcluded working class men and women.
    • Tended to favour Labour & Conservatives.
• Liberal party fatally split during war. Lloyd George & Asquith.
  • Weakened the party.
• Lloyd George Liberals associated with repressive actions in Ireland 1918-1922.
• Lloyd George & Liberals associated with Geddes Axe Cuts and abandonment of domestic reforms. 
  • Weakened support for Liberalism.
  • More trusting in MacDonald to reform, given his domestic efforts in 1924.

• Free trade ceased to be a political issue in 1924.
  • Baldwin dropped the policy by promoting Churchill, a strong free-trader to the key post of Chancellor.
  • Liberals could not unite behind this issue in 1924, as they had successfully in previous elections.
• Coupon Election split the Liberals 
  • Lloyd George Liberals & Asquith Liberals.
  • Reconciliation in 1924, but it was too late.
  • Splits were too deep to maintain public confidence in the party.
• Rise of Labour too strong to challenge
  • MacDonald established himself as a credible national leader in 1924 government. Liberals looked weak in joining the Labour government.
  • Looked irresponsible by bringing it down