Part IX: The 1911 General Election
When Asquith called a general election in early 1911, he and his Cabinet hoped that the main issue of the campaign would be the constitutional crisis triggered by the House of Lords’ rejection of the People’s Budget. In addition to this, Asquith believed that the social reforms he had introduced would also secure the Liberals greater support. Liberal campaign posters were keen to emphasise both of these points, and for a while it appeared that Asquith's Government would successfully be re-elected.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives and Liberal Unionists both sought to emphasise that they were no longer wedded to Imperial Preference, and that free trade would be restored if they were elected. Indeed, one Conservative campaign poster featured both Cecil and Asquith with the caption ‘Who has the big loaf now?’. Asquith himself was also in favour of free trade, although he believed himself to be bound by the earlier pledge by Rosebery to maintain Imperial Preference with the exception of food [1]. In addition to this, Cecil emphasised that the Conservatives were opposed to the tax increases which were proposed in the People's Budget, and that the House of Lords had performed its function by rejecting the Budget.
When the 1911 general election was held, it was clear that the Conservatives had re-gained a great deal of their lost support. Nonetheless, the Liberals were adamant that their Government would be returned. Yet, as the early results came in, it was clear that the tide had turned in Cecil’s favour.
The result of the 1911 general election was a Conservative-Liberal Unionist majority. Meanwhile, the Liberals formed the main Opposition, with a fair amount of seats. The IPP, who were seen increasingly as something of a spent force after the introduction of Home Rule, dropped 17 seats, while Labour gained 2.
Once it was clear that his Government would not be returned, Asquith travelled to Buckingham Palace and tendered his resignation to King George V, who had only recently ascended to the throne, who duly invited Cecil to form a Government. Shortly after becoming Prime Minister, Cecil formed a new Cabinet, with many of his colleagues in the Hughligan group gaining senior positions (such as F.E. Smith, who became Attorney General, and Winston Churchill, who became First Lord of the Admiralty). Meanwhile, Asquith continued to lead the Liberals from Opposition, and vowed to win the next general election.
As the meeting of Cecil’s first Cabinet took place, few in the United Kingdom (or indeed the British Empire) could have anticipated the events which would take place over the span of the 29th Parliament.
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[1] Food had indeed been removed from Imperial Preference in 1908, after the first meeting of the Imperial Council.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives and Liberal Unionists both sought to emphasise that they were no longer wedded to Imperial Preference, and that free trade would be restored if they were elected. Indeed, one Conservative campaign poster featured both Cecil and Asquith with the caption ‘Who has the big loaf now?’. Asquith himself was also in favour of free trade, although he believed himself to be bound by the earlier pledge by Rosebery to maintain Imperial Preference with the exception of food [1]. In addition to this, Cecil emphasised that the Conservatives were opposed to the tax increases which were proposed in the People's Budget, and that the House of Lords had performed its function by rejecting the Budget.
When the 1911 general election was held, it was clear that the Conservatives had re-gained a great deal of their lost support. Nonetheless, the Liberals were adamant that their Government would be returned. Yet, as the early results came in, it was clear that the tide had turned in Cecil’s favour.
The result of the 1911 general election was a Conservative-Liberal Unionist majority. Meanwhile, the Liberals formed the main Opposition, with a fair amount of seats. The IPP, who were seen increasingly as something of a spent force after the introduction of Home Rule, dropped 17 seats, while Labour gained 2.
Once it was clear that his Government would not be returned, Asquith travelled to Buckingham Palace and tendered his resignation to King George V, who had only recently ascended to the throne, who duly invited Cecil to form a Government. Shortly after becoming Prime Minister, Cecil formed a new Cabinet, with many of his colleagues in the Hughligan group gaining senior positions (such as F.E. Smith, who became Attorney General, and Winston Churchill, who became First Lord of the Admiralty). Meanwhile, Asquith continued to lead the Liberals from Opposition, and vowed to win the next general election.
As the meeting of Cecil’s first Cabinet took place, few in the United Kingdom (or indeed the British Empire) could have anticipated the events which would take place over the span of the 29th Parliament.
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[1] Food had indeed been removed from Imperial Preference in 1908, after the first meeting of the Imperial Council.
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