1924 First Labour Government Flashcards
1923 Election
Baldwin decided to call an election over tariff reform and needed a mandate to do so. The Liberals and Labour opposed,Baldwin would resign after a vote of no confidence in Jan 1924
Factors that led to Labour Victory
- Decline of the Liberals
- Organisation and funding
- War experience and patriotism
Decline of Liberals
Working class switched allegiance from Liberals to Labour; their post war policies regarding reform were more prevalent after the war
Organisation and Funding
Labour was organised, well-funded by TU and had some political experience. In 1918, which set out distinct programme.
Experience
The war allowed the government to gain political experience and prove itself as a patriotic party that could be trusted with power
Aims and reform
- Gain confidence of the country
- Moderate policy; aspects of social reform
- Non-preferential TU treatment
- Housing acts
Gain Confidence and Moderate
The war had reassured the public, however socialist fears and concerns were still present -MacDonald implemented moderate social reform
- Raised unemployment benefit, state scholarships which had fallen victim to the Geddes Axe
- CoE Snowdon, despised lending - balanced budget
Attitude to TU
Strikers during the 9 months did not receive preferential treatment
Housing
Wheatley’s Housing Act - more than half a million houses were built by 1933 as a result of the policy
-Increased Tory subsidy by 50% paid over 40 years for rent, benefitting middle class
International relations (+)
MacDonald was praised for handling
-The Ruhr Crisis, securing loans for Germany through drawing up the Dawes plan
International relations (-)
MacDonald was criticised for diplomatic relations to the Bolshevik government. Russia was given a 30 million loan in return of compensating Britain for seized assets during revolution
-‘Too soft on Communism’
Labour Collapse
- Campbell case
- Zinoviev letter
Campbell case
- September 1924
- Government interfered when the Attorney General withdrew prosecution against left wing journalist J.R Campbell for urging soldiers to disobey if they were ordered to fire on striking workers
Effects of case
- Instead of setting up an committee of inquiry over several months, MacDonald would resign with the government if MP’s voted in favour on an enquiry
- Asquith labelled it ‘political suicide’
What did Asquith say about the case
He had never seen a government ‘unnecessarily committed suicide’
