Home rule and the Ulster question Flashcards
What was the Parliament Act 1911?
It set out to limit the powers of the Lords:
The delaying powers of the Lords to be restricted to 2 years.
A Bill sent up by the Commons in 3 consecutive sessions might become law even though it might be rejected by the Lords.
General elections were held once every 5 years instead of 7.
Why was the Parliament Act important?
Since the 2nd general election in 1910, the government relied on the Irish Nationalists, forcing home rule onto the political agenda.
The third home rule bill was delayed for only a year after the Lords rejected it in 1913 so it became law in 1914.
This did not ease the situation in Ireland, Ulster Protestants had sworn to the covenant to resist home rule.
What was the third home rule bill 1912?
It said that the Westminster Parliament was supreme and removed decisions such as foreign affairs, trade and military from the Irish Government.
Westminster would now have greater financial control over Ireland.
Ireland would be represented by fewer MPs, from 80 to 42
Ulster would be included.
Who supported and opposed the Third Home Rule Bill?
Supported: John Redmond, Asquith, Lloyd George, Churchill.
Opposed: Edward Carson, Arthur Griffith, the Sinn Fein party, James Craig.
The problem with this was it was mainly Protestants fighting Protestants.
Who was John Redmond?
An MP at Westminster, leader of the Irish Nationalist Party 1900-18.
He was regarded by many Irish Nationalists as too conciliatory.
A Protestant.
Who was Edward Carson?
Leader of the Ulster Unionists 1910-21.
MP since 1892.
Protestant.
Led Ulster Protestants in resistance to Home Rule.
What was Sinn Fein?
A political party that was committed to freeing Ireland from its bondage to Britain.
They believed the Irish Nationalists did not go far enough in their approach to separating themselves from Britain.
They wanted complete independence but the MPs had only given Ireland independence in domestic affairs.
Who was Arthur Griffith?
Irish Nationalist, chief spokesman of Sinn Fein.
He claimed there could be no Anglo-Irish peace until Ireland was wholly independent.
A Roman Catholic.
What was the resistance from Ulster?
James Craig organised a mass meeting of unionists.
Around 50,000 attended and heard Carson condemning the Bill and urging Unionists to resist it.
For a year, the Unionists attempted to put pressure on the government by organising mass meetings.
What was Covenant Day?
On the 28 September, 1912, 250,000 people signed the covenant which committed them to oppose home rule by all means found neccessary.
Some of them signed it in their own blood.
Who were the UVF?
The Ulster Volunteer Force: set up in January 1913, a paramilitary force to fight to prevent home rule being implemented.
It was led by Edward Carson.
Who were the Irish Volunteers?
The Nationalist’s response to the UVF, to defend home rule.
It was led by John Redmond.
A civil war between the IV and UVF seemed imminent.
This was made imminent by the Curragh Mutiny.
How did the Conservatives interfere?
By 1912, the Conservative’s oppostion to home rule was well established.
Bonar Law said ‘I can imagine no length of resistance to which Ulster can go in which I would not be prepared to support them.
What effect did Conservative interference have?
It gave the Ulster Unionists confidence to defy the government.
It gave the conservatives something to attack the government with.
This made it difficult for the government to deal with events.
The conservatives were defying the law and believed that opposition to home rule would increase their popularity.
What was the reason for the Curragh Mutiny 1914?
March 14: Asquith tried to make a compromise that any Irish council should be able to opt out of Home Rule for 6 years.
While Redmond accepted, Carson did not - saying he did not want the inevitable events to be delayed but changed instead.
