Letters of a Third Candidate
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
LETTERS of a third candidate. It concluded, much more attention than in the There is no The Great War and the Liberal ‘What is clearly wanted is a policy recent past to strengthening local Party (1) of accommodation between Liberal organisations. Lib Dems should, future for a Michael Steed in his very inter- and Labour which will reproduce however, keep in mind the pros- esting article, ‘Did the Great War in the constituencies the coopera- pect of eventually participating in a party which really kill the Liberal Party?’ (Jour- tion which obtains at Westminster.’ major political realignment. There nal of Liberal History 87, summer It would be useful today for both are people in the Labour Party and aspires to no 2015) writes of the belief of the his- parties to consider how many con- there are people in the Conserva- toric Liberal Party ‘that reason, stituencies were won by the Con- tive Party too, who are already more than trade and moral principles could servatives in 2015 where the victory thinking on truly Liberal lines. together bring peace’ as ‘close to a could be attributed to the presence These and many other objec- junior part- raison d’être’ and as ‘an important of a ‘no-hope’ candidate – Lib Dem tives are suggested by the actions nership in constituent in the glue that held in some cases, Labour in others. and policies of Liberals in the his- together the disparate elements A few conclusions seem to toric past. Whether Lib Dems have a coalition making up the party’. Two let- emerge. There is no future for a any future will depend on how well ters in the Manchester Guardian in party which aspires to no more they learn from the past. dominated August 1916 seem to provide sharp than junior partnership in a coali- confirmation of this analysis. tion dominated by others, though Dr Roy Douglas is Emeritus Reader by others. Mary Toulmin, wife of Sir tactical arrangements in some con- at the University of Surrey, a former George Toulmin, Liberal MP for stituencies may well be useful. The Liberal parliamentary candidate, and Bury, wrote to the Manchester job of Lib Dems today is to decide the author of fifteen books, including Guardian on 5 August 1916: on policies aimed not just at deal- The History of the Liberal Party ing with short-term problems but 1895–1970 (1971) and Liberals: The It is difficult for a life-long Lib- at producing a long-term Liberal History of the Liberal and Liberal eral like myself – and one grow- future. It will be necessary to give Democrat Parties (2005). ing more Radical with years – to write with moderation of the present position of Liberal poli- tics. The members of the Liberal Party in the House of Com- mons, with a few noble excep- tions, have slavishly obeyed the dictum of the Prime Minis- ter – ‘Wait and See’. They have waited and they have seen! They LETTERS see a unity of parties indeed but how achieved? By the con- Labour and the Liberals; tinuous surrender by the Liberal questions for readers Ayrshire Northern at the 1906 gen- Party of all those things it held Anent James Owen’s article ‘The eral election. most dear – a voluntary army, struggle for representation: Labour Anent the report of the meet- right of asylum, respect for con- candidates and the Liberals, 1886– ing on ‘The Liberal-Tory coali- science, education, Home Rule, 1895’ ( Journal of Liberal History tion of 1915’, why did Bonar Law, and international law as touch- 86, spring 2015), Keir Hardie was the Tory leader, who joined the ing the rights of neutrals. refused the Liberal nomination for Cabinet in May 1915, not have to the Mid-Lanarkshire by-election submit himself to a ministerial by- The President of the Yorkshire in 1888. He then left the Liberals election? Such were not suspended Council of Women’s Liberal Asso- and unsuccessfully contested the during the war, as Harold Tennant, ciations, Mary Isabel Salt, wrote on by-election as Independent Labour. Asquith’s brother-in-law, had to 10 August 1916: John Sinclair, a protégé of (Sir) submit himself to an unopposed Henry Campbell-Bannerman and ministerial by-election in Berwick- The letters appearing in your a future Secretary for Scotland, shire when appointed Secretary for columns from Lady Toulmin, was offered the Liberal nomination Scotland in July 1916. Sir William Byles, and oth- but refused, as he did not want to And one more question for your ers, undoubtedly express the oppose Hardie. readers. Some biographers of Wil- opinion of thousands of sincere In 1901, Sinclair, then Scottish liam E. Gladstone state that his rank-and-file Liberals who have Liberal Whip, supported, with Sir brother, Robertson (born 1805) hitherto remained dumb under Henry’s approval, the unsuccess- was educated at Eton and Glas- the impotence of the present sit- ful Scottish Workers Representa- gow Academy. However, Glas- uation, but who are none the less tion Committee (SWRC) candidate gow Academy was not founded eagerly awaiting the first oppor- at a by-election in North-Eastern until 1845. Can any of your readers tunity to battle effectively for Lanarkshire, rather than the Lib- advise where in Glasgow he was the old principles which formed eral Imperialist candidate who was educated? Incidentally, one of the the bedrock of their political also unsuccessful. The interven- original directors of the Academy faith. Some of us are asking our- tion of SWRC candidates resulted was Sir Henry Campbell-Banner- selves whether we can honestly in the defeat of Liberal candidates man’s uncle, William Campbell. remain associated any longer in North-Western Lanarkshire and Dr Alexander S. Waugh with a party whose official Journal of Liberal History 89 Winter 2015–16 25 LETTERS sanction is given to active As indicated, there were other When I was looking at a she should take whatever work against Liberal princi- letters along these lines. different problem, I encoun- action was possible to avert the ples and to the repudiation Duncan Marlor tered memoranda sent to Grey catastrophe. of Liberal principles one by by the two most senior For- This set me wondering. To one … Could not a Radical eign Office officials, Sir Arthur what extent had Foreign Office party be formed even now The Great War and the Nicolson and Sir Eyre Crowe, officials, unknown to the pub- which would pledge itself to Liberal Party (2) shortly before Britain became lic and probably to most MPs, adhere to Liberal principles? Professor Otte’s excellent arti- committed to action which gradually manoeuvred Brit- If the leaders would come cle on Sir Edward Grey (‘The made involvement in the 1914 ain into policies which led to forward the members would long shadow of war;, Journal of war inevitable. Both were war? Were there perhaps simi- roll up in their thousands. Liberal History 87, summer 2015) obviously trying to stiffen lar people in the background One feels the tragedy of the throws light on a puzzle which Grey, urging that – as Crowe in Vienna, Berlin, Paris and present situation, insomuch has vexed many historians. put it – ‘in a just quarrel Eng- St Petersburg who played a as it is so infinitely easier to How did it happen that a man land (sic) would stand by her major part in impelling sover- lose our hard-won liberties of high intelligence, complete friends’. [FO800/94, fo.522] eigns and statesmen who did than to regain them, and if probity and a deep love of peace At a time when Belgium had not want war into that avoid- the consolidation of a really nevertheless played an impor- not yet been invaded, or even able conflict? And may it be that liberal party is left until tant part in involving Britain in directly threatened, both similar people still lurk in the after the war it may be too a war which most people would were much more concerned various Foreign Offices of the late to achieve much in our now consider unnecessary and that Britain should support world? own generation. almost wholly destructive? France and Russia than that Roy Douglas LIBERAL hiSTORY QUIZ 2015 The 2015 Liberal history quiz was a feature of the History Group’s exhibition stand at the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth last September; the questions were drawn from our new book, British Liberal Leaders. The winners, each with 19 marks out of 20, were David Hughes and Richard Sanderson. We also included anyone answering at least five questions correctly in a draw for a second prize: the winner was James Sanderson. Below we reprint the questions – the answers are on page 39. 1. On hearing that Nick Clegg was going to join the Liberal Democrats who said: ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, joining the Liberal Democrats is like joining an NGO!’ 2. From which city’s Town Hall in 1901 did David Lloyd George have to flee a pro-Boer War mob disguised as a policeman? 3. Which Liberal leader fell foul of the man who devised the rules of boxing and was consequently mentioned in the trial of a famous playwright? 4. CB acquired his surname well after his birth; why and when did he do it? 5. Which Liberal leader became the first ever British High Commissioner for Palestine? 6. What was the name of the baronetcy inherited from his grandfather by Sir Archibald Sinclair in 1912? 7. Which seat did Roy Jenkins fight unsuccessfully at the 1945 general election? 8. In what year was David Owen first elected as an MP for a Plymouth constituency? 9.