In 1886 Liberals were split over Home Rule for Ireland,
those who were against it joined the conservatives who
were now known as the Unions.
Typical Party Members; Great
Landowners Church of England Big
Business Me
More Working Class Support by 1900 as More
Conservative MP's had backgrounds in industry,
trade and the professions
Exploited Liberal split to gain votes
Introduced some reforms to humour the Liberal Unionists - Free
elementary schooling 1891 - Elected County Councils 1888
Using Unionist majority to frustrate programme - Blocked
Gladstone's renewed attempt to bring in Home Rule for Ireland when
Liberals were in power 1892 and 1895
Primrose League - Lower Middle Class Workers grew and
aspired to be prperty owners Primrose League allowed lower
classes to have roles in politics and mix with upper classes
Patriotism and pride in Empire
Labour
Represented Trade Unions and Working Class
Few seats before 1892; Few voted into
parliament Those who were sat with Liberals
and were known as Lib-Labs
Keir Hardie, first Labour MP
Labour Representation Committee; Won 2 seats in 1900
Breakthrough winning 29 seats in 1906
Changed name to Labour Party after break-through
Limited Party Funding
Not really a party to begin with...Group of Trade Unions and
Socialist Organisations rather than a party More of a Pressure
Group
Once changed to Labour Party, began to grow; 2
MPS in 1900 to 42 MPs in December 1910 but still
overshadowed by the Liberals until 1914
Liberals
Typical Members; Whig Aristocrats Middle
Classes Nonconformists Radical Working Men
Multiple divisions in the Party - Primarily over Home Rule
Further Division over Empire Later on division over Boar War
Supported Free Trade
Supported Laissez-faire
Promoted education Defending the rights and
freedom of the individual Pressuring the ruling
class to lessen the effects of priviledge
Irish Nationalists
Promoted Home Rule
Support was predominantly Catholics
80 MPS in Parliament
Division in Party....1891 Charles Stewart Parnell passed
away which divided the party and caused a long leadership
struggle The new leader 1900 was John Redmond