union leaders. The formation of the SDP in brought about a work- The Watchword Liberty ing relationship with former Labour Party members who had been reared 50 Years On: A History of the Association of in a different industrial tradition and who were rebelling against the ex- Liberal Democrat Trade Unionists, 1947–97 tremism of the Foot leadership. This (ALDTU, 1997) caused some conflict between the two arms of the Alliance, which per- Reviewed by Graham Lippiatt sisted up until the merger when a ballot of ASDTU members pro- duced a majority of % in favour A glance at the indexes of the two main histories of of the continuing SDP. The booklet Liberalism covering the post-war period will reveal no is unfortunately weak on the short history of ASDTU from –, mention of the Association of Liberal Trade Unionists giving no examples of its input to (ALTU). Nor is there any reference to the activities of the SDP industrial relations policy, or of Association of Social Democratic Trade Unionists in the its approach to major industrial re- lations problems such as the miners’ recent, seminal, study of the SDP . strike or political funding. But the story takes up again in more detail ALTU’s role as a recognised, con- at a time when organised trade with the merged ALDTU of the stituent body of the Liberal Party is union power was probably at its ze- s. acknowledged in an earlier book nith, given the link between the un- The second main section of the focusing on the structure and or- ions and the Labour Party and the booklet gives a potted history of Lib- ganisation of the party but no de- programme of nationalisation of key eral/trade union relations dating scription is given of its influence, ei- industries being introduced by the from the th century until just be- ther within the party or in the wider Attlee Government. ALTU members fore the formation of ALTU, chart- debate about the place of trade un- served on a Liberal Party commis- ing the usual milestones of the Lib- ions in society. There is not even a sion which reported in and Labs, the Taff Vale case, the emer- mention of ALTU in the memoirs made proposals for trade union re- gence of the Labour Party, up to the of Cyril Smith MP – and he was the form which anticipated many of the impact of the Yellow Book. It then party’s employment spokesman in measures now taken for granted in makes some observations about the the s and maintained close con- industrial relations, such as regula- role of ALDTU today and looks for- tact with many trade union leaders. tion by legislation, ballots of mem- ward briefly to the challenge for Lib- Nowhere in the mainstream litera- bers on major questions including eral Democrats of a future where ture available on the party since political affiliation and an ACAS- work is dominated by globalisation is there any discussion about the type body to assist in voluntary ar- and the workplace transformed by contribution of ALDTU or its pred- bitration. Other suggestions were information technology. ecessor organisations to the politics more the children of their times, like Years On provides a series of of relationships between employers, the appointment of worker-directors snapshots of the work of ALDTU workers and the state or of ALDTU’s drawn from an elected panel within over its half century’s existence, dur- voice within the trade unions them- nationalised industries. Typically the ing which time the world of work selves for a distinctively Liberal Liberal approach showed through in and industrial relations has been one Democrat approach to industrial re- opposition to these over-mighty or- of the major public policy problems lations. gans of civil society, the use of the for both Labour and Conservative This pamphlet, published to cel- block vote and the closed shop. governments. Reading this booklet, ebrate fifty years of ALDTU, in ef- Strangely the story ignores com- you cannot help reflecting that Lib- fect, sets itself the task of redressing pletely the s. Was there really eral policies on these issues, while this imbalance. Unfortunately, with nothing of relevance going on? What worthy and in many ways ahead of just pages of text and pictures, in- about the Liberal reaction to In Place their time, have not had an impact cluding the reminiscence of a of Strife, for instance? The s, within the party proportionate to Tolpuddle martyr and the words of however, seem to have been an ex- their importance in the real world. a traditional song, there is hardly citing time, the booklet recalling an Is this due to the ineffectiveness of enough room to do proper justice ALTU conference at Blackpool in ALDTU, or is it a reflection of the to the theme. The booklet divides attended by over people stance of a party based on consumer into two main sections. The first re- and addressed by Arthur Scargill and and regional interests in an era of calls the foundation of ALTU in a number of other prominent trade class-based political rivalries; a party journal of liberal democrat history 19: summer 1998 19 A Liberal Democrat History Group Evening Meeting In This Month …
The Centenary of Gladstone From Liberal News
In the centenary year of Gladstone's death, this meeting June 1958 will look at three crucial aspects of the life of the most The Daily Telegraph made full acknowledgement of the Liberal famous Liberal Prime Minister – achievement at Weston-Super-Mare.
Conrad Russell, historian and Liberal Democrat front Recording that the Conservative obtained 49.29% of the vote cast, the bencher in the Lords, will look at what the Liberal Socialist 26.17% and the Liberal Democrats can learn from Gladstone; 24.54%, their political correspondent continued: ‘For a valid comparison of John Maloney, lecturer in economics at Exeter University, ups and downs, it is necessary to go will look at Gladstone as Chancellor of the Exchequer, the back to the general election of 1950, founder of the modern Treasury; and the last time the Liberals contested the seat. The Conservative obtained Professor H C G Matthew, editor of Gladstone’s diaries 56.4% of the votes cast, the Socialist and biographer of Gladstone, Fellow of St Hugh's College, 28% and the Liberal 15.6%. This means that the Liberals have not only Oxford, will look at Gladstone and Ireland, the abiding held a vote which has lain fallow for passion of his later years. eight years, but have improved upon it by nearly 9%, at the expense of both 7.00pm, Monday 20 July other parties.’ David Lloyd George room, National Liberal Club, June 1968 1 Whitehall Place, London SW1. The Liberal Party Council, meeting in London on Saturday, deplored the based upon the primacy of politics erty’, ALTU is said to have drawn hysteria caused by Powell’s infamous speech, and firmly declared its faith in over economics and a party which its inspiration. We see from the il- existing party policy [on immigration]. concentrated its fight for community lustrations that representations of politics almost exclusively in the Tolpuddle and Loveless’ words are June 1978 geographical communities of local featured on the ALTU banner. How- We want an October election. We aim government rather than within or- ever the historical connection of to come out with at least 25 seats. And ganisational communities like Loveless and the Tolpuddle martyrs we will ensure that whatever workplaces? to the development of Liberal government emerges this autumn – Above all, one is left with the thought and political action is not Labour or Tory – carries out a positive feeling that there is a larger, more de- explored in the pamphlet. This surely programme with a strong Liberal tailed story to be told than the short is a project which deserves to be fully content. This was the rousing challenge account given in these pages. One researched, along with the other David Steel threw down to Scottish is left wondering about the sources sources of ALDTU history, so as to Liberals in a speech at their conference of ALDTU history, the policy docu- set out the movement’s story in in Perth on Friday …. ments, the conference papers and greater detail than that offered by There was no reason to conclude that speeches, the contributions of party Years On. cooperation with the Tories could not industrial and employment spokes- Notes: work as well as with Labour, he said men in Parliament, the stories and Roy Douglas, The History of the Liberal …. Mr Steel declared firmly: ‘if the articles in party publications, the Party – (Sidgwick & Jackson, Tories were the larger party in the next memories of officials and members. ); Chris Cook, A Short History of the parliament but without a working The introductory page of the book- Liberal Party – (Macmillan, ). majority, I must make it clear that my Ivor Crewe & Anthony King, SDP: The let points out that , in addition colleagues and I would feel as great Birth, Life and Death of the Social Demo- to being the year in which ALTU an obligation to attempt to reach a cratic Party (OUP, ). was formed, marked the th an- Jorgen Scott Rasmussen, The Liberal Party working agreement – no more and no niversary of the birth of George (Constable, ). less – as we did with the Labour Loveless of Tolpuddle from whose Cyril Smith: Big Cyril, The Autobiography government.’ Delegates warmly poem, ‘We raise the watchword Lib- of Cyril Smith (WH Allen, ). applauded this declaration.
20 journal of liberal democrat history 19: summer 1998