Labour 1924 Flashcards
Wheatley Housing act
Increased government subsidy to council 6 pounds to 9 pounds per house built
Increased time allowed for payment from 20 to 40 years
By 1933 571,000 new council houses
Labour education reforms
Restored state scholarship to secondary school is after axe
However this failed there was a committee set up to find ways of extending education to working class and over 14s
More public funds direct to educational provision
Other labour reforms
Increased unemployment benefit
Increased old-age pensions
How successful were Labour’s reforms 1924
Not very
Education reforms lasted only 10 months because the liberals withdrew their support
Only limited amount of time therefore couldn’t do anything significant but what they did pave the way for 1929
Not very radical
Reasons for the Labour government’s failure in 1924
Minority government and depending on liberal votes
Had to deal with 1 million unemployed
Moderate policies (reasons for labour failure)
Policies had to be moderate mean they weren’t much different to previous liberal policies
McDonald offended the left in his party by not giving them a fair representation in the cabinet
some thought his policies weren’t radical enough they wanted socialist ones
He did this to appeal to the electorate
Link with the trade unions (Reasons for labour Feria)
People who had property and feared nationalisation and militant trade unionism distrusted labour
Couldn’t break ties with trade unions as they funded labour
the trade unions expected to be able to control labour but weren’t happy with liberal support and moderate policies
Dockers strike
London transport workers joined
McDonald proclaimed state of emergency but then the employers made a wage offer
Government was embarrassed and their relationship with the unions was strained
Honours scandal
Macdonald’s friend Alexander grant became the director of a company that Macdonald had shares in
Grant was given a knighthood which was a prospect before McDonald became prime minister but was still embarrassing
Campbell case
September 1924
Government accused of using influence to with draw prosecution of left-wing journalist JR Campbell for encouraging troops to mutiny
Asquith wanted committee of enquiry
McDonald said instead to have a vote if majority for enquiry he would resign
There was the majority
Zinoviev letters scandal
The times run story about a letter signed by Bolshevik leader which urged preparation for a class war in Britain four days before the election
The letter was forged
People miss trusted labour by association
Confirmed people’s fears that they were linked
1924 election results
Conservatives 415
Labour 152
Liberals 42
Why did Labour gain power in 1924?
Parliamentary representation increase December 1920 and 42 MPs holding seats in the House of Commons
Strong trade union links provided later with a sound financial base
Played an important role in the war effort
Politicians gained experience as Cabinet ministers
Bonar Law very ill after eight months of power so was succeeded by Baldwin
Baldwin decided to call an election December 1923 on tariff reform
