History Revision
Britain 1918-51
KQ1 - What was the impact of the First World War on the labour and liberal parties by
1918?
Why did the labour party gain and lose power in 1924?
KQ1 Pages
Background Information 1-3
The 1918 General Election 3-4
Problems facing the Coalition Government 5
The Record of the Coalition Government 5-6
Fall of Lloyd George’s coalition in 1922 7-8
1922 up until the 1923 Election 8-9
1923 Election 9
The Record of the First Labour Government 9-10
MacDonald’s aims 10-11
The fall of the First Labour Government 11-12
Defeat in 1924 12
Background Information
WW1
o 1914-16 Asquith lead the war
o Liberals had been in power since 1905 and Asquith had been in power since 1908
o He was lazy and a known drunkard
o Lacklustre leadership style during the beginning of the war in 1914-15 lead to increasing
criticism
o Munitions crisis and Gallipoli campaign failure increased criticism
o 1915 – formation of coalition govt with conservatives in the cabinet including Bonar Law
Munitions crisis
March 1915 –
o Battle of Neuve Chapelle
o Sir John French (commander) told the Times newspaper their failure was a result of a
shortage of shells
o LG (chancellor) believed there needed to be much improvements to the munitions
industry which Lord Kitchener (war secretary) he said, was not up to the task of this
overhaul
o LG told the Times and Daily Mail to publish French’s comments on the “shall scandal” –
an act of disloyalty
o 10 days later, may 17th 1915, the liberal government fells however Asquith was still PM
o LG becomes minister of munitions – huge power and huge budget
o He solved the shall problem by the end of 1915 and becomes know as the “welsh
dynamo”
o Looked like a better candidate for PM than Asquith
Gallipoli
April 1915 -
o Turkey was a German ally
o In an attempt to clear a supply path to the British ally Russia, and allow Russia to attack
Germany from the east the British started and assault.
o Fighting went on for 8 months
o It was a massive failure due to terrain, weather and closeness of the front lines
o 300,000 Allied casualties – 100,000 dead
-1-
, History Revision
Britain 1918-51
o 150,000 Turkish casualties – 20,000 dead
Fall of Asquith
o Continued failure to make military advances in the war in 1916, especially at the battle
of the Somme, further undermined Asquith’s position
o In autumn 1916, LG who was war secretary suggested a 3 man war cabinet with Asquith
still as PM but not as a member of the war cabinet
o Asquith refused, LG resigns. Conservatives say they wouldn’t serve without LG
o Asquith resigns, LG is appointed PM – Liberal party now split into Asquith and LG
factions
Results of the fall of Asquith
o Conservatives and some Liberals known as Lloyd George Liberals saw Asquith as a failed
leader and LG as the man who would win the law
o Asquith Liberals, or Squithites saw LG as a back stabbing traitor
o LG became PM of a government which had a majority in the House of Commons of
Conservatives not Liberals
WW1 impact on Liberals
LG leader of a
LG replacing Asquith as government reliant
PM led to majority of on conservative
Liberal MP’s and support
Hopelessly split ministers joining the WW1 impact on Conservatives
– bitter feeling opposition
Liberal split
highlighted
Been out of power
Conservative
since 1905 when
From 1915 War strengthened unity
they lost power in
Conservatives were Conservatives –
a landslide Liberal
involved in a tradition, patriotism,
win
coalition – MP’s had duty and empire -
By 1915-16 the majority of the governmental Created unity
party supported the war and experience
Henderson
Labour was a newly formed
WW1 impact on Labour party – formed in 1900
At the end of the war Labour split at the start of
Labour looked like it war – into pacifist factions
had contributed a lot (under Ramsay MacDonald)
to the war effort and During the war Party joined the and a pro-war faction (under
had some Labour helped by coalition and Arthur Henderson)
governmental keeping unions and Henderson was
experience workers focused on given a cabinet seat
the needs of war – the first Labour
WW1 effects on…production MP to serve in the
Finances cabinet
-2-
,History Revision
Britain 1918-51
o Before WW1 London was the financial capital of the world
o Cotton, coal, shipbuilding and iron industries were booming
o Taxation was minimal
o Economic growth had been continuous for a century
o Income tax rose dramatically – 6% to 30%
o Lost its title to New York
o War expenditure exceeded every other country – 13%-50% GNP in 1918
o Britain owed the USA £1285 million which they wanted back in full
Economy
o Unemployment rose to 1 million
o The key industries entered a slow decline
o Exports declined – caused serious damage
o Steep drop in economic activity followed by a rapid rise in 1914
o National income per person increased
o Lost export markets to places like India who could offer cheaper products
o 1913 Britain supplied India with 97% of exports which reduced to 43% due to Japanese
competition
o Coal exports never returned to the high pre-war level
o New aircraft industry meant increased use of sophisticated machinery
Society
o 12% of soldiers died along with a few civilians
o Women outnumbered men – many women were widowed or died single
o Fall in infant mortality and rise in life expectancy – Men 49 » 56
Women 53 » 60
o Smoking became more popular
o 1918, alcohol sales were half of those in 1900 and beer strength declined
o Despite need, less houses were built
o More work and better pay for most the population
o Work hours went from 55 to 48 hours a week
o The very rich lost out due to heavier taxation
The 1918 General Election
Background
o Postponed in 1916 because of the war
o Representation of the peoples act 1918 – men over 21 and women over 30 had the right
to vote
o Needed to be held as soon as possible after the Armistice 11th November 1918
o Conservatives and Liberals agreed to fight together to continue the coalition
-3-
, History Revision
Britain 1918-51
Why was the coalition preserved?
Lloyd George’s reasons Conservative’s reasons
o Anxious to maintain position as PM o Image of LG as “the man who won the
o Liberal split war” would make him a threat if they
o Genuinely believed he had something ran against him
to offer post-war Britain o Practical experiences of working with
o Needed Conservative support to stay in LG since 1915 sowed LG to be practical
power and a realist
o Feeling that post-war problems would o LG appealed to the public – he was a
be serious and need the “welsh good speaker and charismatic
dynamo” at the helm o Fear of Labours popularity, radical
policies and gaining support
o Post-war problems needed LG
The campaign
o Bonar Law and LG drew up a joint manifesto which emphasised
- The prestige of LG as “the man who won the war”
- LG’s pre-war reputation as a champion of the underdog
- Promise to make Britain “a country fit for heroes to live in” – in relation to housing
o A letter was issued by Bonar Law and LG to their supporters confirming that they were
coalition candidates (dubbed the coupon election by Asquith)
o Labour offered a radical program of social reform including nationalisation of key
industries and independence for India and Ireland
The result
1. Impressive victory for the coalition but LG only had 127 MP’s in the coalition compared
to the 332 MP’s that were conservative in the coalition
2. Impressive advance for Labour as they gained a further 15 seats than in 1910
3. Important victory in Ireland for Sinn Fein winning a majority, 73, of the Irish seats
4. Poor performance by Asquith and his Liberals, his 36 MP’s went into opposition
5. Asquith lost his seat and many supporters, 163 compared to the 272 in 1910
Although LG won more MP’s, he shared a similar percentage of the vote that Asquith won
-4-
Britain 1918-51
KQ1 - What was the impact of the First World War on the labour and liberal parties by
1918?
Why did the labour party gain and lose power in 1924?
KQ1 Pages
Background Information 1-3
The 1918 General Election 3-4
Problems facing the Coalition Government 5
The Record of the Coalition Government 5-6
Fall of Lloyd George’s coalition in 1922 7-8
1922 up until the 1923 Election 8-9
1923 Election 9
The Record of the First Labour Government 9-10
MacDonald’s aims 10-11
The fall of the First Labour Government 11-12
Defeat in 1924 12
Background Information
WW1
o 1914-16 Asquith lead the war
o Liberals had been in power since 1905 and Asquith had been in power since 1908
o He was lazy and a known drunkard
o Lacklustre leadership style during the beginning of the war in 1914-15 lead to increasing
criticism
o Munitions crisis and Gallipoli campaign failure increased criticism
o 1915 – formation of coalition govt with conservatives in the cabinet including Bonar Law
Munitions crisis
March 1915 –
o Battle of Neuve Chapelle
o Sir John French (commander) told the Times newspaper their failure was a result of a
shortage of shells
o LG (chancellor) believed there needed to be much improvements to the munitions
industry which Lord Kitchener (war secretary) he said, was not up to the task of this
overhaul
o LG told the Times and Daily Mail to publish French’s comments on the “shall scandal” –
an act of disloyalty
o 10 days later, may 17th 1915, the liberal government fells however Asquith was still PM
o LG becomes minister of munitions – huge power and huge budget
o He solved the shall problem by the end of 1915 and becomes know as the “welsh
dynamo”
o Looked like a better candidate for PM than Asquith
Gallipoli
April 1915 -
o Turkey was a German ally
o In an attempt to clear a supply path to the British ally Russia, and allow Russia to attack
Germany from the east the British started and assault.
o Fighting went on for 8 months
o It was a massive failure due to terrain, weather and closeness of the front lines
o 300,000 Allied casualties – 100,000 dead
-1-
, History Revision
Britain 1918-51
o 150,000 Turkish casualties – 20,000 dead
Fall of Asquith
o Continued failure to make military advances in the war in 1916, especially at the battle
of the Somme, further undermined Asquith’s position
o In autumn 1916, LG who was war secretary suggested a 3 man war cabinet with Asquith
still as PM but not as a member of the war cabinet
o Asquith refused, LG resigns. Conservatives say they wouldn’t serve without LG
o Asquith resigns, LG is appointed PM – Liberal party now split into Asquith and LG
factions
Results of the fall of Asquith
o Conservatives and some Liberals known as Lloyd George Liberals saw Asquith as a failed
leader and LG as the man who would win the law
o Asquith Liberals, or Squithites saw LG as a back stabbing traitor
o LG became PM of a government which had a majority in the House of Commons of
Conservatives not Liberals
WW1 impact on Liberals
LG leader of a
LG replacing Asquith as government reliant
PM led to majority of on conservative
Liberal MP’s and support
Hopelessly split ministers joining the WW1 impact on Conservatives
– bitter feeling opposition
Liberal split
highlighted
Been out of power
Conservative
since 1905 when
From 1915 War strengthened unity
they lost power in
Conservatives were Conservatives –
a landslide Liberal
involved in a tradition, patriotism,
win
coalition – MP’s had duty and empire -
By 1915-16 the majority of the governmental Created unity
party supported the war and experience
Henderson
Labour was a newly formed
WW1 impact on Labour party – formed in 1900
At the end of the war Labour split at the start of
Labour looked like it war – into pacifist factions
had contributed a lot (under Ramsay MacDonald)
to the war effort and During the war Party joined the and a pro-war faction (under
had some Labour helped by coalition and Arthur Henderson)
governmental keeping unions and Henderson was
experience workers focused on given a cabinet seat
the needs of war – the first Labour
WW1 effects on…production MP to serve in the
Finances cabinet
-2-
,History Revision
Britain 1918-51
o Before WW1 London was the financial capital of the world
o Cotton, coal, shipbuilding and iron industries were booming
o Taxation was minimal
o Economic growth had been continuous for a century
o Income tax rose dramatically – 6% to 30%
o Lost its title to New York
o War expenditure exceeded every other country – 13%-50% GNP in 1918
o Britain owed the USA £1285 million which they wanted back in full
Economy
o Unemployment rose to 1 million
o The key industries entered a slow decline
o Exports declined – caused serious damage
o Steep drop in economic activity followed by a rapid rise in 1914
o National income per person increased
o Lost export markets to places like India who could offer cheaper products
o 1913 Britain supplied India with 97% of exports which reduced to 43% due to Japanese
competition
o Coal exports never returned to the high pre-war level
o New aircraft industry meant increased use of sophisticated machinery
Society
o 12% of soldiers died along with a few civilians
o Women outnumbered men – many women were widowed or died single
o Fall in infant mortality and rise in life expectancy – Men 49 » 56
Women 53 » 60
o Smoking became more popular
o 1918, alcohol sales were half of those in 1900 and beer strength declined
o Despite need, less houses were built
o More work and better pay for most the population
o Work hours went from 55 to 48 hours a week
o The very rich lost out due to heavier taxation
The 1918 General Election
Background
o Postponed in 1916 because of the war
o Representation of the peoples act 1918 – men over 21 and women over 30 had the right
to vote
o Needed to be held as soon as possible after the Armistice 11th November 1918
o Conservatives and Liberals agreed to fight together to continue the coalition
-3-
, History Revision
Britain 1918-51
Why was the coalition preserved?
Lloyd George’s reasons Conservative’s reasons
o Anxious to maintain position as PM o Image of LG as “the man who won the
o Liberal split war” would make him a threat if they
o Genuinely believed he had something ran against him
to offer post-war Britain o Practical experiences of working with
o Needed Conservative support to stay in LG since 1915 sowed LG to be practical
power and a realist
o Feeling that post-war problems would o LG appealed to the public – he was a
be serious and need the “welsh good speaker and charismatic
dynamo” at the helm o Fear of Labours popularity, radical
policies and gaining support
o Post-war problems needed LG
The campaign
o Bonar Law and LG drew up a joint manifesto which emphasised
- The prestige of LG as “the man who won the war”
- LG’s pre-war reputation as a champion of the underdog
- Promise to make Britain “a country fit for heroes to live in” – in relation to housing
o A letter was issued by Bonar Law and LG to their supporters confirming that they were
coalition candidates (dubbed the coupon election by Asquith)
o Labour offered a radical program of social reform including nationalisation of key
industries and independence for India and Ireland
The result
1. Impressive victory for the coalition but LG only had 127 MP’s in the coalition compared
to the 332 MP’s that were conservative in the coalition
2. Impressive advance for Labour as they gained a further 15 seats than in 1910
3. Important victory in Ireland for Sinn Fein winning a majority, 73, of the Irish seats
4. Poor performance by Asquith and his Liberals, his 36 MP’s went into opposition
5. Asquith lost his seat and many supporters, 163 compared to the 272 in 1910
Although LG won more MP’s, he shared a similar percentage of the vote that Asquith won
-4-
