Liberals 1906-1915 Flashcards
How were the Conservatives divided on trade by 1906?
106 tariff reformers, 16 free traders, rest protectionists
How did Balfour and Lansdowne use Lords against Liberals?
To vote against all their legislation
How did Conservative focus change after Balfour resigned?
Switched to Home Rule again under Bonar Law
How many seats did the Conservatives win in the Jan 1906 election?
157
Who were the New Liberals?
Younger Liberals - began to move away from Gladstonian laissez faire (eg George and Churchill)
When was the Provision of Meals (Education) Act?
1906
When was the Children’s Act?
1908
When was the Old Age Pensions Act?
1908
What did the 1906 Education Act mean?
Children to receive free school meals - unenforced until 1914
What did the 1908 Children’s Act mean?
Measures to protect and decriminalise children: juvenile courts for young offenders, focus on rehabilitation, children under 14 banned from public houses, under 16 not able to buy cigarettes
What did the 1908 Old Age Pensions Act mean?
5 shilling/week pension from 70+ y/o on less than £21/year. 500k received £6.5mil by 1914. However, often not enough to bring out of poverty, certain groups excluded
When was the Workmen’s Compensation Act?
1906
What did the 1906 Employers and Workmen Act ensure?
Workers to be paid for accidents at work - increased safety measures followed
When was the National Insurance Act? (Both parts)
1911
What did the first part of the 1911 National Insurance Act do?
Gave payment of 50p for 25 weeks and 25p after for illness. Single £1.50 maternity benefit. ‘9d for 4d’ for employee if ill
What did the 1911 National Insurance Act (Part 2) do?
Looked to tackle seasonal unemployment: 35p/week unemployment benefit for 15 weeks (as long as had paid into the scheme) - some say too small but a safety net
When was the Unemployed Workmen’s Act?
1905
What did the Unemployed Workmen’s Act do?
Looked to help unemployed skilled workers - instead abused by under/casually unemployed
When were the Labour Exchanges set up?
1909
What did the 1909 Labour Exchanges do?
Increased mobility of labour - 83 exchanges 1910, 430 by 1914. 2mil registered, 3k jobs/day. TUs suspicious, though it meant lower wages. 75% of registered didn’t find a job.
When was the Trades Disputes Act?
1906
What did the 1906 Trades Disputes Act mean?
Reversed Taff Vale Judgement (1901) - made picketing legal and secured TU legal position
When was the Mines Act?
1908
What did the 1908 Mines Act do?
Introduced max. 8 hour days
When was the Trade Boards Act?
1909
What did the 1909 Trade Boards Act do?
Introduced min wage for 200k (eg box makers, tailors, lace makers) - significant move away from laissez faire, but wages controlled by stakeholders
When was the Shops Act?
1911
What did the 1911 Shops Act do?
Granted half-day holiday to shop assistants, washing facilities to be provided in every shop - yet limited as didn’t control working hours
When was the Trade Union Act?
1913
What did the 1913 Trade Union Act do?
Reversed Osbourne Judgement - allowed ‘special’ political fund to finance support, members could opt out of payment
When was the Notification of Births Act?
1907
What did the Notification of Births Act do?
Introduced medical inspections at schools, sought to quantify and reduce causes of infant mortality
What did the 1907 Education Act do?
Extended Acts to Scotland - free med-care by 1912
How many members were there in Lords?
591
How were Lords’ members categorised?
561 hereditary, 4 law lords, 24 Anglican bishops, 2 Archbishops
How did the Lords lean politically?
2/3 Conservative, rest Liberal
When was the People’s Budget introduced?
1909
What was the aim of the People’s Budget?
Raise money for social reform and construction of Dreadnoughts
How did the 1909 People’s Budget look to increase revenue?
Taxes. Income tax from 5p to 6p on earners over £3k, ‘supertax’ on earners over 5k, petrol duties and road license, taxes on tobacco and alcohol, introduced 20% property sales tax
When was the People’s Budget vetoed by Lords?
November 1909
What happened as a result of the People’s Budget being rejected?
Asquith declared it unconstitutional - called election for Jan 1910
What was the result of the Jan 1910 election?
Liberal victory - Liberals 274, Conservatives 272, Irish 82, Labour 40
What did the Parliament Act mean?
Lords couldn’t veto/amend financial bills, max delay of 3x for two years, elections every 5 rather than 7 years
Who supported the Liberal Parliament Bill?
Irish (Redmond) - in return for Home Rule
What was the attempt to negotiate a settlement over the constitutional crisis?
Constitutional Conference
When was the Parliament Act passed by Commons?
May 1911
What was the result of the Lords’ vote on the Parliament Act?
Passed by 17 votes - 131 to 114
