King george v vetoes government of Ireland act

What if king george V had vetoed the bill and called a general election? What would the consequences for the First World War, the future of the liberal and conservative parties and Ireland?
 
If you had a knowledge of the British system you would know he wouldn't, he couldn't. If by some exceedingly weird reason he refused to give the royal assent there might have been a younger Edward VIII or perhaps, just perhaps a second Republic.
 
I think the fact Britain is a big 'M' monarchy blinds a lot of people to the fact that post ECW British Kings and Queens simply didn't have the kind of powers that are traditionally associated with a European crown.

Part of this is also probably to do with the American foundation myth that they were being 'oppressed' by the British King. When in fact they were being 'oppressed' by a partially elected representative body in the King's Name.
Thus the common thought (especially from Americans) about British Monarchs prior to Queen Elizabeth II, is that they somehow wielded absolute style powers, in one of the most advanced nation states of the era. And only reformed into being a nice quiet constitutional monarchy after 'murrica! showed the world the light of democracy after WWII.

The reality is though the British Empire did a lot of outright awful things during the 18th and 19th centuries, almost all of them where perpetrated by an elected government, bureaucratic institution, or private individuals. Not by some tyrannical King or Queen.
 
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But he was urged by both the conservatives and the ulster unionists to veto that bill and declare a general election
 
But he was urged by both the conservatives and the ulster unionists to veto that bill and declare a general election

The same nutters who told the army to mutiny, armed the UVF, built a hospital in London in preparation for a civil war (thank the Duke of Sutherland) and didn't win the election :mad:
George V was always going to side with the government and that was Asquith. if he didn't then the only other option would have been total civil war which was only averted due to WW1
 
At most, he would have insisted on another election on the issue, as he had on the Parliament Act.
 
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