Britain Transformed, 1918-79 Prime Ministers
1PM Detail, major acts and evaluation
David Lloyd - Leading figure in the pre-war Liberal government
George, 1916- - Successfully managed relations with allies until the armistice in November 1918
22 - Dynamism gave WW1 a much-needed boost resulting in him being regarded as ‘the man who won the
war’ and a national hero
- Troubled with domestic problems – presided over a period of depression, unemployment and strikes
- Immediate cause of the Liberal’s decline – him vs Asquith split the party
- Holds responsibility for the fall of the Liberals
- In favour of illiberal war measures, abandoning the principles of the party and coming too close to the
Conservatives
- Highly unpopular amongst the Conservatives
- Honours system – sold knighthoods and peerages to wealthy supporters to keep Liberals in power
- Geddes Axe - £87 million worth of cuts, defying his promise of ‘homes fit for heroes’
Stanley - Alternative to Labour and threat of socialism
Baldwin, 1923- - Concerned with reducing social tensions and securing industrial peace
29 - Sought to prevent class conflict and mix the Labour movement into the party system
- Moderate politician who would appeal to all classes
- Trades Disputes Act 1927 – following the GS, limited powers of the TU movement and funding of Labour
- Public Order Act 1936 – dealt with street disturbances after marches of British Union Fascists
- Expansion of pensions and house building, local government reform
- Extended the right to vote to women over 21
- Pioneered use of radio
- General Strike in May 1926 guaranteed his defeat following his conciliatory approach as he yielded to
pressure to introduce laws reducing Labour’s funding from the unions
- Policy of protectionism was abandoned following its rejection in the 1924 election
, Britain Transformed, 1918-79 Prime Ministers
Ramsay - PM in the first ever Labour government
MacDonald, - Unemployment Act: introduction of Unemployment Assistance Boards, £25 million in funding gave
1929-35 government powers to create schemes to alleviate unemployment
- Special Areas Act: introduced regional assistance to areas of
- 1930 Housing Act – cleared 750,000 slum houses, replacing them with modern homes by 1939
- Heavily defeated following the infamous ‘Zinoviev letter’, though it was later expected to be fraud
- Dominated by economic crises, unemployment doubled
- Forced to make harsh economic choices that affected the poorest voters e.g. 10% cut in unemployment
assistance
- Coal Mines Act of 1930 attempted to ensure better pay for workers and more efficient pits, but mine
owners could ignore it
Stanley - Pledged new houses, jobs, help for deprived areas and improvement of Britain’s defences, despite little
Baldwin, 1935- public desire for rearmament
37 - Striking innovation – use of radio and film
- Constitutional approach to abdication crisis was highly praised as he thought Edward VII’s marriage to
American divorcee would be viewed as morally incorrect
- Dealing with the General Strike
- Conserved the power of Conservatives
- Failed to initiate rearmament
1PM Detail, major acts and evaluation
David Lloyd - Leading figure in the pre-war Liberal government
George, 1916- - Successfully managed relations with allies until the armistice in November 1918
22 - Dynamism gave WW1 a much-needed boost resulting in him being regarded as ‘the man who won the
war’ and a national hero
- Troubled with domestic problems – presided over a period of depression, unemployment and strikes
- Immediate cause of the Liberal’s decline – him vs Asquith split the party
- Holds responsibility for the fall of the Liberals
- In favour of illiberal war measures, abandoning the principles of the party and coming too close to the
Conservatives
- Highly unpopular amongst the Conservatives
- Honours system – sold knighthoods and peerages to wealthy supporters to keep Liberals in power
- Geddes Axe - £87 million worth of cuts, defying his promise of ‘homes fit for heroes’
Stanley - Alternative to Labour and threat of socialism
Baldwin, 1923- - Concerned with reducing social tensions and securing industrial peace
29 - Sought to prevent class conflict and mix the Labour movement into the party system
- Moderate politician who would appeal to all classes
- Trades Disputes Act 1927 – following the GS, limited powers of the TU movement and funding of Labour
- Public Order Act 1936 – dealt with street disturbances after marches of British Union Fascists
- Expansion of pensions and house building, local government reform
- Extended the right to vote to women over 21
- Pioneered use of radio
- General Strike in May 1926 guaranteed his defeat following his conciliatory approach as he yielded to
pressure to introduce laws reducing Labour’s funding from the unions
- Policy of protectionism was abandoned following its rejection in the 1924 election
, Britain Transformed, 1918-79 Prime Ministers
Ramsay - PM in the first ever Labour government
MacDonald, - Unemployment Act: introduction of Unemployment Assistance Boards, £25 million in funding gave
1929-35 government powers to create schemes to alleviate unemployment
- Special Areas Act: introduced regional assistance to areas of
- 1930 Housing Act – cleared 750,000 slum houses, replacing them with modern homes by 1939
- Heavily defeated following the infamous ‘Zinoviev letter’, though it was later expected to be fraud
- Dominated by economic crises, unemployment doubled
- Forced to make harsh economic choices that affected the poorest voters e.g. 10% cut in unemployment
assistance
- Coal Mines Act of 1930 attempted to ensure better pay for workers and more efficient pits, but mine
owners could ignore it
Stanley - Pledged new houses, jobs, help for deprived areas and improvement of Britain’s defences, despite little
Baldwin, 1935- public desire for rearmament
37 - Striking innovation – use of radio and film
- Constitutional approach to abdication crisis was highly praised as he thought Edward VII’s marriage to
American divorcee would be viewed as morally incorrect
- Dealing with the General Strike
- Conserved the power of Conservatives
- Failed to initiate rearmament
