Changing Party Fortunes, 1918-1931
The period from 1918 to 1931 saw dramatic changes in British politics, with the decline of the Liberal Party and the rise of Labour and the Conservatives.
Decline of the Liberal Party
World War I created divisions within the Liberal Party. David Lloyd George supported measures like conscription and rationing, while Herbert Asquith and others disagreed. The "Maurice Debate" further split the party when Lloyd George was accused of lying about troop numbers.
Highlight: The 1918 "Coupon" election saw Lloyd George form a coalition with Conservative Andrew Bonar Law, dividing the Liberals into two camps and paving the way for Conservative dominance.
The 1918 Representation of the People Act expanded the electorate, with 80% now made up of the industrial working class. This growing class consciousness benefited Labour.
Conservative Success
Several factors contributed to Conservative Party success:
- Electoral advantages like the "plural vote" system benefited Conservative-leaning voters
- The first-past-the-post system helped Conservatives convert votes to seats more efficiently
- Irish independence removed many nationalist MPs who had opposed Conservatives
Example: In 1918, it took an average of 15,943 votes to elect a Conservative MP, compared to 29,868 for a Labour MP.
Rise of Labour
The Labour Party gained support due to:
- Growing working class consciousness and demands for social improvements
- Increased trade union membership and funding
- New working class voters enfranchised in 1918
- Disillusionment after World War I when promised reforms didn't materialize
Highlight: Ramsay MacDonald became the first Labour Prime Minister in 1924, helping establish Labour as a credible governing party.
However, the Campbell Case and Zinoviev Letter controversies in 1924 allowed the Conservatives to recover power.
