Constitutional Crisis 1909-1911 Flashcards
What political party dominated the House of Lords?
Conservative.
How is membership to the House of Lords different to the House of Commons?
It is hereditary whilst the Commons are elected.
What Liberal legislation did the Conservative members of the Lords turn down in 1893?
Home Rule for Ireland.
What Liberal legislations did the Conservative Lords turn down 1906-1908?
1906: Education Bill.
1908: Scottish Land Bill, Abolition of Plural Voting Bill & Licensing Bill.
Why was the People’s Budget needed in 1909?
Needed £15 million to provide for social services & construction of naval warships.
What did the People’s Budget propose?
Increased income tax: 1s to 1s2d for incomes over £3,000/year
Super tax: incomes over £5,000/year
New land taxes
Indirect taxes on luxury goods: motor cars, petrol, beer & tobacco
What were the new land taxes?
- 20% Tax on ‘increased increment of land value’ (increase in value of land due to greater demand not improvements).
- Duty of 1/2d on value of undeveloped land & minerals.
Why did Lloyd George want the People’s Budget to pass?
Show working classes they didn’t need labour to make these cuts.
Punish/provoke Conservatives for their opposition.
Why were the Conservatives worried about the People’s Budget?
‘Targeted the rich’, land taxes wouldn’t raise much money but seen as very controversial.
Worried about redistributive taxation & progressive taxation.
How did the Lords react to the People’s Budget?
Vetoed it, November 1909. Unprecedented as Lords didn’t interfere with ‘money bills’.
Left Liberals with no legal ability to collect tax so had to call general election.
When was the general election called after the Lords cancelled the People’s Budget?
January 1910.
What was the general election of January 1910 fought on?
Whether Britain should be governed by a majority of elected MPs in the Commons or hereditary peers in the Lords.
How else did the Conservatives suggest money could be raised other than the People’s Budget?
Tariffs on foreign imports.
What was the result of the January 1910 election?
Liberals won narrowly: Liberals, 275 seats. Conservatives, 273 seats. Irish Nationalists, 82 seats. Labour, 40 seats.
How did Liberals Maintain a majority after the January 1910 election?
By relying on Irish Nationalist support.
On what condition did the Irish Nationalists give their support after the January 1910 election?
They wanted an attack on the powers of the Lords so they could achieve Home Rule for Ireland.
When was the Parliament Bill introduced?
1910.
What did the 1910 Parliament Bill propose?
- Lords have no power to veto money bills, certified by speaker of the Commons.
- Lords have no power to veto other legislation but could delay for 2 years. Known as ‘suspensory veto’.
- Max period between general elections reduces to 5 years from 7.
Why wouldn’t the 1910 Parliament Bill pass?
The Lords would veto it.
What was Asquith’s solution to the Lords vetoing the 1910 Parliament Bill?
Asking King Edward VII to promise to create enough Liberal peers to outvote the Conservatives in the Lords.
What stopped the creation of peers by King Edward VII?
He died and King George V tried to get Liberals & Conservatives to agree a solution.
When were the discussions between the Liberals & Conservatives over the 1910 Parliament Bill held?
Between June & November 1910.
What was the result of the discussions between the Liberals & Conservatives over the 1910 Parliament Bill?
Conservatives offered to reform composition of Lords.
Liberals determined to reduce Lords’ constitutional powers.
On what issue did the discussions between the Liberals & Conservatives over the 1910 Parliament Bill break down?
Conservatives wanted Lords to be able to veto change in constitution. Liberals disagreed.
