constitutional crises Flashcards
what was the disraeli doctrine
- 1870s
- argued that the lords should only use power to veto in certain circumstances
- when commons divided- passed with small majority
- public opinion clearly against proposal
- would result in fundamental change that should include the voters in a genny lec
why was this doctrine unlikely to apply to 1906 lib gov
- libs had such a huge majority no bill was likely to pass with a narrow majority
- had already committed themselves to big issues such as home rule and social reform during the election- so puclic opinion was unlikely to be against it
summarise the 1906 education bill
- proposed all CofE schools should be taken over by local authorities (pleasing non-conformist supporters)
- local authorites would then appoint teachers without requiring any religious tests
*only general religious teaching would be allowed - act angered many anglicans, plan was to oppose using the power of the lords
what other bills did the lords elect 1906-08
- bill to end plural voting
- bill aimed at further restricting the sale and consumption of alcohol
what did campbell bannerman want to do as a result in 1907
wanted limitations on the powers of the lords to delay, amend or veto legislation
what was the peoples budget?
- introduced by Chancellor of the Exchequer- DLG
- would require an increase in taxation to pay for increase in defence expenditure and spending on social reforms/welfare.
- defence expenditure= dreadnoughts in case concerns over germany ever came to fruition
proposals of the peoples budget
- raise income tax on incomes over £3000 p/a from 9d to 1s 2d
- introduce additional tax on incomes over £5000 p/a
- increase duties on spririts, tobacco, liquor licenses and stamp duties
- increase on death duties on estates valued betweem £5000 to £1 million
- increase land taxes when it changes hands and on the anual value of land
- set up a road maintenance fund by taxing petrol and introducing licenses for cars
- introduce child allowances of £10 per year for children under 16- payable to families with an annual income of less than £500
who would object to the peoples budget
the super rich- it would tax and apply to them. by only deliberately taxing ghte super rich, it would mean that those who relied on inheritance would quickly lose the generational wealth. this would create a divide in society against the super rich- not the middle class/aristocracy as their income would be taxed very marginally. careful not to antagonise the middle class and industrialists- didnt want to lose their support. if this was refused, it would appear to the public as the super rich refusing to pay their fair share. the super rich would be those in the house of lords
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arguments about the peoples budget
- deliberately designed to anger the HoL into rejecting it
- deliberately designed so that if and when the lords reject it, they are doing it for selfish reasons.
- deliberately created a constitutional crisis
when was the peoples budget introduced
april 1909
what happened that was controversial
- nov 1909- the house of lords vetoed the budget and rejected it
- very controversial- not supposed to intervene in money bills
- as govt now had no authority to collect taxes- they had to call a general election on the issue
who is to blame for the 1st constitutional crisis
- HoL precipitated the crisis due to their undemoratic/selfish actions
- Balfour encouraged the HoL to utilise their powers to veto- reckless decision
- DLG deliberately created crisis in order to force HoL to reject budget, in turn causing the violent reaction to the HoL self interest in blocking.
- DLG didnt intend to create a crisis- realised this was an opportunity
- inevitable conflict- people getting increasingly powerful and politically conscious. or due to new liberalism
jan 1910 election
liberals campaigned on issue of democracy and against the power of non-elected/hereditary House of Lords
nicknamed peers vs the people
liberals won narrowly, lost their majority they had gained in the 1906 election
libs- 275, cons- 273, labour- 40
what did the liberals do to pass the peoples budget
- liberals had to rely on the support of the irish nationalists to pass the budget- believed this would put them in a good position for home rule
- due to the majority, the house of lords agreed to pass the budget
when was the second consititutional crisis
1910
what started the 2nd constitutional crisis
- 1910- the liberals created the Parliament bill- to reduce power of HoL- unable to keep vetoing bills from the elected HoC
summarise the 2nd Constitutional crisis
- May 1910- Asquith persuaded new king to threaten to create more liberal peers in the HoL to pass the parliament bill
- King agreed to create more peers, but insisted there was another Gen Elec to be held on the issue
- Dec 1910- Gen Elec- liberals gained equal seats to the conservatives but could govern with support of IN and Labour
lib- 272, Cons- 272, IN- 84, lab- 42. - may 1911- parliament bill was passed
- Aug 1911- great division in HoL (those who wanted to pass it called rats, thoses undecided called the hedgers and those who opposed nicknamed the ditchers)
- due to fear of being overwhelmed by libs in the HoL, agreed to pass it.
Conservative Budget Protest League- led by Walter Long, attacked PB
Liberal Budget League- pressure group - led by Winston Churchill, in favour of PB
what was the parliament act
- said that the house of lords could not interfere with money bills
- they could only block/veto bills for up to 2 years, then after that it would become law
- there was to be five years between general elections
effects of the crisis
- parliament act- destroys the lords as a political force- therefore, although they all retain some power, they stop being the most important house
- did not help the conservatives - image of elitism
- ended balfours career- succeeded by Bonar Law, relatively unknown
- home rule- had been arguing that the only reason why it was not being pushed was due to it inevitably being blocked by HoL- now they had no power this was not an argument, putting pressure on the liberals. also now have to have the help of the IN in parliament due to losing majority in 1910 elections
- weakened liberal hold in parliament- LRC/Labour get more confident/bolder within parliament- start drifting away from the liberals.
