Domestic - Wheatley's Housing Act was very
successful for creating council houses and both state
scholarships were brought back and the 2 16-week
benefits period removed (OAP benefits up). Yet Liberal
reliance led to moderate reforms (no nationalisation),
unenployment remained and London transport strikes
occured (due to TU funds and wanted policies),
stepped down but strained relations and embarassing.
Foreign - Mac oversaw the Dawes plan which saw
the removal of troops from the Ruhr and Germany
could pay whatever. Diplomatic recognition for
Soviet regime and trade treaty signed. Efforts in
Geneva Protocol too (arbitration of international
disputes compulsory) but fell out of gov before
accepted.
Statistics
Cons 258, Libs 159, Lab 191, outvoted on tariffs. Wheatley £9M
grants to housing. Dawes Plan sees 8M marks to Germany from
USA. 1M unemployed at end. Votes 364 to 198 in Campbell Case
Next election, Con 419, Lab 151 and Lib 40.
Debate
General -Labour filled the cabinet with
people like Haldane (a former Lib) to show
their policy of winning support outside the
working. Also the fake Zinoviev letter with
instructions on takeover before election is
seen as having very minimal impact.
Pugh - MacDonald welcomed the end as it would
have only been harder to contain the radical left.
General - Splits occurred with the ILP and
Scottish Clydeside MP’s wanting more socialist
measures but Mac did not want to appeal to
electorate for Common’s loss.
Mann - With the Dawes Plan the new
Premier Herriot wanted reconciliation
unlike the old Poincare.
Note
Bonar Law had taken over from Lloyd George and Baldwin from him in 1923, but Lib and Lab united
for lessened living costs leading to his loss. He allowed this as Libs and Cons could outvote anything
too radical. Note too it ended over the Campbell Case (ditor of Worker’s Weekly arrested for telling
soldiers to not shoot strikers, Labour Attorney General withdrew prosecution, alarmed many with
Communist Russia) and vote cast which Mac saw as vote of no confidence.
Some did not support going into
government (minority = compromised by
instutition of capitalist society), and many
posts were filled with former Libs and Cons
as more experience and continued imperial
policy. Some say Zinoviev letter was an easy
way to blame loss instead of on weaknesses.
Why win?
Payment of MPs in 1911 allowed working men. Labour and The New Social Order, the parties manifesto in 1918 promised
nationalisation/distribution of wealth which appealed to now able to vote workers. Conservatives dealt badly with trade
depression in 1923 and his speech in Plymouth annoucning tarriffs had been an issue as little time for organisers to prepare for
a campaign and Baldwin's inexperience = could avoid general election to next spring .Liberals as seen had issues with policy and
split in 1916 etc. After Henderson's resignation had focused on local party branches (1924 = only 19 constitutiencies lack branch
of party). Note increase voters does not mean all Labour (e.g soldiers resident in barracks).