Summary of post war coalition 1918-1922

The problems of post war reconciliation * Demobilisation * Health facilities * Unemployment * National insurance& pensions * Housing

* Set against grim economic circumstances – high inflation and falling demand in British goods.

The Anglo Irish question * Legacy of the Easter rising 1916 * IRA VS The Black and Tans * The Anglo Irish treaty

* Treaty was major achievement, but essentially a compromise. * Mutual bitterness remained between LG and IRA. * Civil war in the New Ireland.

* End of the 1918-22 coalition

* It fell because

1) Policy failures – economic (Geddes axe) ,social, foreign affairs, 2) LG corruption ( using power of patronage to sell honours on a commission basis) 3) Conservative had labour doubts. 4) The coalitions decline in reputation. 5) Foreign affairs (chanak) 6) Conservative abandoned LG – (Carlton club meeting, Baldwin described LG as a dynamic force.

Summary of the conservative government 1922-24

* A government burdened by debt. * Chamberling’s housing act (1923) was the only major measure * Baldwin fought elections on the protection ticket * 1923 election left labour as the larger opposition party.

1) Decline in liberals. * Split between Asquith and LG during war created a breach within the labour party – never properly healed. * Liberal values such as freedom of individual, been compromised by restrictive Gov. measures e.g. the introduction of conscription. – Liberalism lost moral authority. * Party politics in 20th century was expensive; liberal doesn’t get donations from trade unions like the labour party or from businesses like the conservatives. * Before 1914, liberals relied on parliamentary support of the Irish Nationalists- no longer available after southern Ireland was granted Home Rule. * FPTP electoral system proved a killer for their recovery. The party was unable to spread popular support, unlikely to win an election. * 2) Rise of the Labour party * Working class voters defected from the liberal party to the more radical labour party. * Labours strong trade union links- sound financial base * Labour party had a good war record * Its senior politicians gained an experience as cabinet ministers were in the coalition cabinet, showed labour was fit to govern. * Improved its constituency organisation.

Summary: The First Labour Government

Reasons why a minority labour party formed a government.

* Liberals and conservatives hoped Labour would prove in capable of effective government. * Ramasay MacDonald eager to his not a coward and that labour was ready to govern. * Labour party had become an acceptable political force.

Reasons for labours loss of office * Always vulnerable to lib-con attacks. * Ramsay’s poor handling of the Campbell case.

However * 1924 election saw increase in Labour vote despite Zinoviev letter

Labour record * Improved unemployment benefit. * Education provision * Wheatley’s housing act (houses were rented not sold, by 1933 half a million houses were built.) * Foreign policy achievements. (Young plan, first British prime minister to attend League of Nations meeting in Geneva.

Summary : Baldwin government 1924-29

Date | Development | TUC action | Government action | July 1925 | Mine owners reduced wages. Miners agreed to await samuels report. | Backed miners’ strike threat. | Offered miners wage subsidy. Set up Samuel commission. Made preparations to meet general strike. | March 1926 | Samuel commission urged miners to accept wage cuts. Miners’ federation called for a strike on april 30th | Gave federation uncertain backing. | | April- 1 may 1926 | | Joined government in talks which seemed on the verge of success. | hawks press for showdown. | 2 may | Printers at daily mail refused to set editorial. | Denied knowledge of printer’s action. | Delivered ultimatum to TUC. | 3 may | | TUC declared a general strike. | Declared state of emergency. |

Government chief’s measures * 1925 - pension’s act, Gold standard restored * 1926- set up of national grid. * 1927-BBC established, trade disputes act – prevented a future general strike and limited trade union’s freedom. * 1928- parliamentary act –granted women vote on same basis as men. * 1929- local government act- abolishes workhouses.

Why did the general strike fail? 1) Government prepared for confrontations in July 1925. (Emergency powers act – the government set up the OMS, which created a national network of volunteer workers to main services if a ever a strike occurred. 2) Organisation of the strike was rudimentary and ineffectual. 3) Little active support from strikers- those who did help were on the Gov.’s side, enrolling as special constables. 4) The strike had no chance of success – in the end it was called off by the TUC without winning any concessions.

Summary: the second labour government

Principle measures * Coal act 1930- reduced miners working hours by 30mins, employers were entailed to fix mix minimum wages. * Housing 1930 (Arthur greenwood): reintroduced government subsidies for council housing to clear slums. * Agricultural marketing act 1931: attempt to improve supply of food to the public. * London transport bill 1931: it created a public cooperation, responsible for providing cheap and efficient bus and underground transport.

1931 crisis 1) Snowden’s budget 2) The may committee- * Snowden appointed a special committee to consider ways out the financial crisis. * The may committees proposals; unemployment pay by 10% initially was 20%. This would destroy the principle the labour party protected the working class. * International bankers who were willing to advance its loans to Britain if it reduced its welfare expenditure <Ramsay told his colleagues there was no other way than to cut wages put Ramsay under pressure.

3) Ramsey’s betrayal * Cabinet split was known as the great betrayal. * Ramsay didn't want to resign, instead he wanted to stay on as pm but form a national government or coalition * Went behind the backs of his colleagues and done a deal with the opposition leaders and got sacked by his party.
The end of the first labour government.

1) Country before party * He claimed the economic crisis could be met only be forming a cross party government of national unity. Labour ranks claimed he wanted to retain power. * Britain could not cope with an international loan. 2) The impact on the labour party. * Popular support dropped more than 1.7 million votes * George lainsbury became party leader of labour party. * Henderson’s advancing years meant that lainsbury had little to offer in terms of new ideas. * He was succeeded by atlee in 1935. Skilfully maintained leadership that helped revive the party when national government remained electorally dominant.

Foreign affairs
India
* Ramsay claimed the first tentative steps taken towards the independence of India < aim of the labour party . * Gandhi protesting against they way people not allowed to gather natural sea salt but were forced to buy heavily taxed Gov. salt. For this Gandhi was arrested< embarrassment for MacDonald’s Gov. * Ramsay called a round table conference, Gandhi out of prison but by the time he arrived for the talk ,lab Gov. resigned from office.
Young plan * Henderson ended European nations agreeing the young plan ,which saw Germany as an equal nation.

Anglo soviet relations * it was believed the left could speak into the left. * Ramsay believed that in the need to pursue international co-operations as a principle, he was willing to risk national interests at the expense of soviet interests of revolution. * Ramsay’s achievement was that he made his party electable by showing voters of the labour part were responsible. *

Summary : The national government domestic affairs

1931 election confirms National Government in office.

Economic background * Depression or growth? * America loaned Britain 80 million to continue their programme of cuts. * The hostile reaction to cuts increased pressure on the gov to abandoned the gold standard. * The pound fell ¼ of its value but was not a problem as long term consequence of making British export cheaper therefore more competitive. * The American stock market was now largely closed,british manufacturing industries could not sell their <biggest outlet. * Unemployment * Depression was a regional affair in areas such as wales ans south east london. It was so severe and enduring.

* The hungry thirties? * Retail prices leapt ahead of wages. * Real wages increased. * Living standards * Depression did not affect the whole of Britain , unemployment and industrial decline was not universal. * Depressed regions complained the southern dominated parliament and the gov didn't fully appreciate the sufferings of the north. * Two nations- divisions between the rich and poor in Britain . * Nation government policies? * Return to protective tariffs- in attempt to stimulate industrial recovery. , Protection itself would not stop depression. * All national gov of inter period didn't have realistic

Ramsay Macdonald record as pm * Age and ill health led to his retirement 1935. * Labour part split had no answer to economic problems , dodged in all three of his administrations. * His decision to lead his minority party into office shows labour was fit to govern. * He broke the party over his decision in 1931 to stay in office and form a coalition.< resulted in labour being out of office15years. * Put country before party * Earned deserved reputation as peacemaker in international affairs.

Stanley Baldwin record as pm * formed his third government in 1935 * abdication crisis 1936- King Edward to marry American divorcee Mrs simpson. * Great parliamtarian admired for his lack of pettiness towards political opponents. * He wanted class division eradicated from politics < reason why right wing conservatives disapproved him * Criticised for a safety approach * Calm firm leadership at a time of political extremism * Made national gov work when there was a risk of politics fracturing. * Lack of insight in economic matters < made no significant changes to resolving unemployment.

Threats from the political extremes * Mosley * Ramsay appointed Mosely as chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster. * His group was in the task of tackling unemployment. * His proposals on the matter was all rejected by the cabinet because they were impractical/too expensive. * Resigned from labour party and formed his own < failed to attract support in 1931 general election. * Proposals * Greater use of tariffs <raise revenue * Fund early retirement schemes < free up jobs

* The BUF * Found in 1932 –mosely * Aimed to established a cooperate state in which pariliament would have a minor role to play < power is concentrated. * Mosley was impressed by Mussolini’s intense nationalism and hatred for communism. * Verbally attacked Jews < responsible of economic depression. * Battle of cable street 1936 < BUF declared hatred for immigrants ,planned a provocative march to the east end. * People who joined BUF were second state writer/minor aristocrats. * Daily mirror showed sympathy towards mosely’s plans to lessen unemployment but was later dropper by them because of his racism. * Only in grim circumstances ,early 1930s they had attraction * Movement never raised enough funding to sustain a powerful force . * As a threat of war increased, BUF sympathy for nanzi Germany made it suspicious.

* CPBG * Depended on funds on secret grants from the Soviet Union < CPBG received more money than labour party. * Unable to gather support < the CGBP tried to affiliate the labour party. It made separate application but all was rejected.(1922,1935,1943 ,1946) * First application said lab gov said anything belonging to the BUF cannot join the lab * CPGB could influence lab through entryism,< joining the party without declaring their real allegiance. < left and right win labour have struggled with policies over this. * Atlee’s greatest achievement was preventing the Marxist left from imposing revolutionary policies. * Communist ideas where string among intellectuals. * 1930s, bright students would be recruited by the commintern to spy for the soviet union. < Burgess and Maclean leaked British state secrets before fleeing to soviet union.