Liberals vs. Conservatives. Liberal Conservative DemocratRepublican.
The decline of the Liberals. Why support for the Liberals declined 1 Divided opinions about the war....
-
Upload
lorraine-briggs -
Category
Documents
-
view
218 -
download
0
Transcript of The decline of the Liberals. Why support for the Liberals declined 1 Divided opinions about the war....
![Page 2: The decline of the Liberals. Why support for the Liberals declined 1 Divided opinions about the war. Some Lib MPs were anti war and resigned. Formation.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062321/56649f275503460f94c3fa3e/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Why support for the Liberals declined 1
• Divided opinions about the war.• Some Lib MPs were anti war and resigned.
• Formation of the Union of Democratic Control.
• Lib Party refused to let ‘anti-war’ Lib MPs to stand for election so fewer Lib MPs for voters.
• Arguments within the party over
1. Non intervention or intervention in economy, industry, people’s everyday lives (DORA). Intervention went against old Liberal ideals of laissez-faire and self help. Also seemed against Liberal ideals of personal freedom and civil liberties.
2. Conscription
• Party funds collapsed as members stopped paying subscriptions. (Hayes estimated that 25% of subscription money lost in wartime.)
• These arguments weakened its organisation. Party workers demoralised.
![Page 3: The decline of the Liberals. Why support for the Liberals declined 1 Divided opinions about the war. Some Lib MPs were anti war and resigned. Formation.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062321/56649f275503460f94c3fa3e/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Why support for the Liberals declined 2
• The ‘shell scandal’– Field Marshall John French blamed the government
for a lack of shells which meant a failed attack against the Germans in May 1915 at Aubers Ridge.
– Political changes because of the scandal led to • A new Coalition government – Libs and Cons• With Lloyd George being in charge of munitions
and passing the Munitions of War Act which stopped recruitment of munitions workers and greater efficiency in shell production.
![Page 4: The decline of the Liberals. Why support for the Liberals declined 1 Divided opinions about the war. Some Lib MPs were anti war and resigned. Formation.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062321/56649f275503460f94c3fa3e/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
![Page 5: The decline of the Liberals. Why support for the Liberals declined 1 Divided opinions about the war. Some Lib MPs were anti war and resigned. Formation.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062321/56649f275503460f94c3fa3e/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Female Dilutees Working in Springburn
![Page 6: The decline of the Liberals. Why support for the Liberals declined 1 Divided opinions about the war. Some Lib MPs were anti war and resigned. Formation.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062321/56649f275503460f94c3fa3e/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Why support for the Liberals declined
3• The ‘Coupon’ Election – 14/12/1918• Lib MPs who had supported the 1916 coalition government of DLG were
issued with a letter of support signed by both Lloyd George and Andrew Bonar Law, Tory leader. This was seen as being a mark of approval for those candidates.
• Herbert Asquith, leader of the Liberals called the letter a “coupon”.• 159 Liberal candidates received the ‘coupon’. • Where a ‘Coupon’ Liberal stood for election, no Conservative challenged
him. Where a Conservative stood, no ‘Coupon’ Liberal challenged him. Therefore there was no chance of coalition candidate competing against another.
• Those Liberals not issued with the coupon lost their seats. Only 26 ‘Squiffites’ won a seat.
• Asquith lost his seat for East Fife. • Many see the 1918 election as the start of the end for the Liberal Party.