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Reasons for the 1906 Liberal landslide
- Liberals secured a
landslide victory over the
Conservatives 400 seats to
157.
- Boer War (1889-1902)
- 40% of British recruits were declared
unfit for military surface suggesting
that poor health was weakening the
nation's ability to defend itself.
- The deaths of 28,000 Boer women
and children in British concentration
camps caused moral outrage. DLG
stated that "we have now taken to
killing babies"
- Conservatives exploited
national patriotic support
for the war to win the
1902 Khaki election
which angered voters.
- 40% of British recruits were declared
unfit for military surface suggesting
that poor health was weakening the
nation's ability to defend itself.
- Nonconformists voters
- The 1902 Education Act changed funding for schools.
Nonconformists were furious that their rates would now be
contributing to the costs of Anglican and Catholic schools.
- The 1904 Licensing Act aimed to regulate the sale and consumption of
liqour but angered anti-drink Nonconformists as it proposed paying generous
compensation to brewers for the loss of their licenses.
- 'Chinese slavery' was another moral issue.
Chinese workers were imported to south
Africa as cheap labour which
Nonconformists regarded as unethical
exploitation. Trade unions also voiced fears
that employers might import Chinese
labourers into Britain to keep wages low.
- As a result, over 200 Liberal
Nonconformists MPs were
elected to Parliament in 1906.
- The 1902 Education Act changed funding for schools.
Nonconformists were furious that their rates would now be
contributing to the costs of Anglican and Catholic schools.
- Tariff Reform
- In 1903 Joseph Chamberlain resigned to
campaign for the reintroduction of tariffs, arguing
that it would strengthen the empire.
- The Liberals united against protectionism
(imposing duties on imports) and united under a
banner of Free Trade
- Public feared that tariff reform would lead to higher
food prices.
- In 1903 Joseph Chamberlain resigned to
campaign for the reintroduction of tariffs, arguing
that it would strengthen the empire.
- Working class voters
- Conservatives alienated working class voters.
- The 1902 Taff Vale Judgement allowed companies to sue trade unions for
losses caused by strikes, thereby removing the unions' most powerful
weapon in industrial disputes.
- The 1902 Taff Vale Judgement allowed companies to sue trade unions for
losses caused by strikes, thereby removing the unions' most powerful
weapon in industrial disputes.
- There was growing awareness that the state needed to do
more to improve living standards for the most vulnerable.
However, the Conservatives seemed unprepared to introduce
any substantial social reform.
- Conservatives alienated working class voters.
- Conservative weaknesses and misjudgements contributed immensely to their defeat.
The Liberals were able to unite under a new leader: Henry Campbell-Bannerman, and
key issues such as free trade. The Liberal landslide was as much an overwhelming
rejection of Conservative policies as it was a positive endorsement of new Liberal ideas.
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