Who else than Sir Edwad Grey ?

NoMommsen

Donor
AFAIU in the end of the July-crisis Grey was prepared to resign from foreign office, if the cabinet wouldn't follow his course of supporting France - even militarily. IOTL at 1. and 2.August the cabinet followed him, at least partially in defining Belgiums violation as a casus belli and he stayed.

What if ... the cabinet would - for whatever reasons - NOT followed him ?
He pulls the threat of resignation from office as a "last ace" but got toppled by a "full house" (in the eyes of Asquith) of cabinets majority still not following him.

Who could have taken/be assigned for his post ?

Would Asquith perhaps take over Foreign office as well ? ... maybe giving the War ministry already at this pointz to someone else (he propably though already of Kitchener as such) ?

What other choices Asquith had / would be plausible ?
 
The most significant players in the Cabinet include:

David Lloyd-George. Impossible to ignore, and certainly a powerful driving force. Quite what his attitude would be is unclear; his view shifted quite a lot. In June, he opposed involvement in a European War. In August, he supported it. Whichever view he takes, he will be eloquent and convincing in his support of it.

Richard Haldane. This would be an interesting choice, since he had forced through the Haldane Reforms of the Army a decade or so earlier. A liberal imperialist, and one who believed in the strength of the Imperial ties.

For an oddball appointment, and one that would upset Asquith greatly, we need look no further than Herbert Gladstone, sacked in 1910 by Asquith and packed off to South Africa. Unquestionably experienced and knowledgeable, but he would also be "difficult".

Talking of "difficult", one person who can't be ignored would be our very own and very ambitious First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill. It would be a step up for him to become Foreign Secretary, and he'd already given the instructions to get the RN ready.

Others are possible, but these would seem to me to be your most likely. I'd suggest Lloyd George would prefer to stay as Chancellor. It would be a slightly downward step for him. The others would bite your hand off for the chance.
 
Haldane would have faced the same allegations of being too pro German he did OTL I would think. Reginald McKenna was a man who had held some difficult posts over the previous six years. Walter Runciman also a man on his way up. I suspect Asquith would have trusted either more than Winston. If the Cabinet was in a mood to sack Grey rather than back him, they wouldn't have countenanced the even more bellicose Churchill
 
Haldane would have faced the same allegations of being too pro German he did OTL I would think. Reginald McKenna was a man who had held some difficult posts over the previous six years. Walter Runciman also a man on his way up. I suspect Asquith would have trusted either more than Winston. If the Cabinet was in a mood to sack Grey rather than back him, they wouldn't have countenanced the even more bellicose Churchill
Runciman would have been an interesting choice.
 

Deleted member 94680

If Grey is out because the Cabinet goes against Grey's anti-German options and Haldane is a no-no because he is seen as too pro-German, wouldn't Runciman be a good choice? He's got plenty of Cabinet experience and was originally in favour of reconciliation with Germany. He would be a promotion from within the Cabinet as well, not too much of a shake up in the eyes of the public.
 
Catsmate is probably right about McKenna being the more likely option, by this stage he is definitely seen as a safe pair of hands. But I wouldn't rule Runciman out - McKenna might not want to move any more than Lloyd George, both are mainly interested (at that time anyhow) in domestic politics and for either of them the Foreign Office was a sideways move rather than a promotion. And from Asquith and the Cabinet's point of view TTL, Grey has been too independent and given commitments he had no authority to give. Promoting a more junior colleague would have certain attractions in that he would be more likely to take a collegiate approach and not overreach his authority.
 

Thomas1195

Banned
If Grey is out because the Cabinet goes against Grey's anti-German options and Haldane is a no-no because he is seen as too pro-German, wouldn't Runciman be a good choice? He's got plenty of Cabinet experience and was originally in favour of reconciliation with Germany. He would be a promotion from within the Cabinet as well, not too much of a shake up in the eyes of the public.
Even Haldane himself was actually more interested in domestic matters like educational reforms.
 
Even Haldane himself was actually more interested in domestic matters like educational reforms.
Agreed, but Haldane was also very interested in military and foreign affairs and the Empire as well. I don't see him turning down a good posting in any of those fields. Lloyd George, on the other hand, had no pre-war interest and didn't realise that he had quite a talent for them until the War starting forced these issues upon him.
 

Deleted member 94680

Even Haldane himself was actually more interested in domestic matters like educational reforms.

But he would still be remembered for the Haldane Mission in 1912 and was known as (rightly or wrongly) a Germanophile - the public's opinion of his supposedly pro-German outlook led to his resignation in 1915. I assume in this TL Britain is trying to steer an independent course, maybe appointing someone like Haldane at this time (after presumably refusing to go to France's aid) would be seen as declaring support for Germany?
 
Top