History (Constitutional crisis)

Question 1

Whjat was thes estimated cost of the old age pensions?

Answer 1

£16 million

Question 2

What did the new budget propose to increase taxes on?

Answer 2

spirits by 1/3, alcohol by a 1/4, tax on cars, 3d per gallon of petrol,
income tax (appeal to left-wing liberals and working-class)- 9d- earning under £3000
1s2d- earning over £3000
extra 6d- earning over £5000
death duties (inheritance tax)- workth more than £5000

Question 3

What else was money being spent on?

Answer 3

eight extra dreadnoughts for the army

Question 4

Who hated it?

Answer 4

Irish- damage whiskey trade
landowners target6ed unfairly- land valuation survey (thin edge of sociasim)- estimating land worth by a commission
breweries- outraged by taxes
Liberals- worried about socialism

Question 5

how much did the Lord reject the budget by?

Answer 5

350 votes to 75

Question 6

Other examples of Lord rejecting Bills?

Answer 6

1893 Gladstone hOme Rule bill
plural voting bill- affected conservative-held constituinces
Educaiton Bill 1906- reduced Anglican infloeucne
Lisencing Bill 1907- pressure from breweries

Question 7

Why did Liberals let these go?

Answer 7

anxious to pass major reform- prepared ot give up minor ones

Question 8

Why was the 1909 budget so controversial?

Answer 8

• Lord saw it as a unprecesedented attack on property- gave them a right to interfere with a money bill

Question 9

Why wouldn’t have Lloyd George wanted to enginner conflict?

Answer 9

Just passed a massive reform programme- conflcut would delay legislation being passed
By 1909- most Liberals wanted to expand (no longer saw gi9vernemnt interference as limited)>looking for a massive cash injection - ocnflcit would eb expensive

Question 10

Prioblems of the 1909 Budget?

Answer 10

8 dreadnoughts needed to be built- costing £16 million
trade depression in 1908
Public support falling- by-election losses in 1908- 10% swing against Liberals
need to prove they can pay for them without protectsionsim
Non-conformist supporters (influential)- want restriction on sale of alcohol
Major opposition to taxes on land by Lords

Question 11

Solutions of the 1909 Budget?

Answer 11

Taxes- alchol, death duties
Income tax- tax the rich, not the poor
Introudce chid allowance
landlord’s pub liscenes- 50% of their profits

Question 12

Liberals case?

Answer 12

Traditions of commons handli9ng money bills
THe Liberals represent the will of the people (1906) GE
‘Mr Balfour’s poodle’- using Lords
Lord just represent conservative peers- they cann afford it

Question 13

Lord case?

Answer 13

reason for thinking the budget wa drastic/ill-considered
‘buklwarks oft he revoltion’
Liscenign Bill 1907- please the Non-conformsits not the people
Budget had lots of measure tacked on-land valuation survey couldn’t actually collect any taxes
The Lords were not refusing to accept it if the people wanted it
The LIberals had lsot many by-elecitons in 1908- lost their majority

Question 14

Why didn’t the Liberals just amend it and wait to get it passed?

Answer 14

• commons needed to control taxation to govern he country
  -Lords were blatantly acting agisnst the people if they refused this
  Liberals had the majority

Question 15

Why did Conservative peers oppose the budget?

Answer 15

157 mps in H of C- mainly relsied on Lords
agricultural depression- fall in land prices>income
electoral refomrs- harder to exter infleucne- more power with local councils
Liberal by-election losses meant Conservatvies thought they cold win

Question 16

Jan 1910?

Answer 16

Conservatvies suggested tariff reform to raise revenue

Question 17

Election result- automatically comes?

Answer 17

Liberals 275, Conservatvies - 273 equal- not what Liberal wanted
kept in office by Labour (TU egislation) and Ireland (Home Rule)

Question 18

Aprikl 1910?

Answer 18

The Lords passed the Budget

Commons wanted to get Lords to agree to restrict powers

Question 19

How did the government threaten the Lords?

Answer 19

monarch- create enough Liberal peers to get majoriry in Lords
if Liberals won another election- it was voted for
constitutional conference faield- another election

Question 20

Dec 1910 election?

Answer 20

Liberals had majoriy ONLY with Irish hodlin balcne of pwoer

Question 21

resukting in Lords dividing into?

Answer 21

diehards- wouldn’t say yes
hedgers- abstained form voting
rats-voted for the government- with hedgers passed b majority of 17

Question 22

1911 Parlimetn Act?

Answer 22

Lords could only delay bill for 2 years
if passed by conservaies in 3 consecutive session it was passed (lost theur veto)
Mps got a salary