A REtREAt fROm tHE LEFT? The LIberal Party and LAbOuR 1945–55 The ‘realignment of the left’ in British politics was one of the defining features of Jo Grimond’s leadership of the Liberal Party and has been an important factor in Liberal politics ever since that time. The Liberal Party of the 1940s and 1950s, by contrast, is generally regarded as leaning towards the right, defined by its relationship with the Conservatives and the rump National Liberal he Liberal Party began Conservatives from returning to Party.1 Little attention the 1945 parliament power. These moves were unsuc- broadly supporting the cessful, which was probably just has been paid to Labour government but as well from the point of view of relations between the gradually became more preserving the independence of Tcritical, particularly after Frank the Liberal Party, but showed that Liberals and Labour Byers replaced Thomas Horabin there was considerable interest in as Chief Whip in 1946. A number re-establishing a progressive coa- during this period. of former Liberal MPs defected to lition in UK politics well before Labour during the late 1940s and Grimond reinvented the Liberal Robert Ingham early 1950s and high-level talks Party after 1956. The extent to exanines the record. took place between the parties which the Liberal Party was split in 1950 aimed at preventing the down the middle in its approach to 38 Journal of Liberal History 67 Summer 2010 A REtREAt fROm tHE LEFT? The LIberal Party and LAbOuR 1945–55 its major rivals at this time is also The immediate problem for Liberals in parliament 1945–50 now starkly apparent. Some senior the Liberals after the election The first decision Davies and Liberals were talking to Labour was to select a new leader, as Horabin had to take concerned about keeping the Conservatives Sir Archibald Sinclair had been the Liberal attitude to the King’s out of power at the same time as defeated in Caithness and Suth- Speech, which outlined the leg- others were discussing the pos- erland. Sinclair’s National oppo- islative programme of the new sibility of electoral arrangements nent, Eric Gandar Dower, had government. Then, as now, the with the Conservatives aimed at rashly promised to resign his seat debate at the start of the par- defeating Labour: Clement Davies when Japan was defeated, and liamentary session lasted sev- may well have been party to both Liberals expected Sinclair to win eral days and there were usually sets of conservations. the ensuring by-election. In the votes on opposition amendments. The results of the 1945 gen- event, Gandar Dower changed Unusually, no amendments were eral election showed a marked his mind and served for the full moved in 1945. Clement Dav- shift to the left in British politics, Parliament. Faced with this situ- ies devoted much of his speech with the Labour Party sweeping ation, Liberal MPs selected Clem- to international affairs – war was to power. The number of Labour ent Davies as their chairman for still raging in the Far East – and MPs increased from 166 at disso- the parliamentary session after a his remarks about the new gov- lution to 393, with the Conserva- process in which all of the MPs ernment’s domestic agenda were tive total falling from 398 to 213, were asked in turn if they would positive: their lowest number since 1906. consider taking the job. Thomas The Liberals had hoped to benefit Horabin became Chief Whip. I am sure that we can all rejoice from this swing, not least because Davies was a controversial at the end of the Tory régime, their ranks included Sir William choice. Elected for Montgomery- at the end of reaction and Beveridge, author of the epony- shire in 1929 he followed Sir John chaos. We are looking forward mous report which was to become Simon into the Liberal Nationals, not only in this country but in the keystone of the welfare state before becoming an independent all countries of Europe, where and who had been elected Liberal in 1939. He rejoined the Liberals democracy is rising with new MP for Berwick in 1944. In fact, in 1942 and was associated with the hope, to this progressive Gov- the election marked a new low left-wing Radical Action group.2 ernment We wish this Gov- in the long-term decline of the Horabin was also associated with ernment well, but we want Liberal Party and a mere twelve Radical Action and the views them to take that road firmly. Liberals were returned to parlia- expressed in his 1944 monograph We want them to show plenty ment. Beveridge was one of the Politics Made Plain put him well to of backbone, determination casualties; and one of the Liber- the left of Sinclair and other Lib- and courage. [An Hon. Mem- als returned at the poll, Gwilym eral grandees. Only a year before ber: ‘Do not worry.’] I am not Lloyd George, was only a nomi- Davies and Horabin had emerged worrying; I am just express- nal supporter of the party and was as leaders of the Liberal MPs, ing the hope. Why should I later to side unambiguously with Lady Violet Bonham Carter had not give them this reminder? the Conservatives. The best that described them as examples of the Left: Clement If they fail, if there is a breach could be said about the election ‘lunatics and pathological cases’ Davies, Leader of of faith, they will not only do result was that the Liberals had not prominent in the party because of the Liberal Party permanent damage to their been wiped off the map. its weak position.3 1945–56 own party, but to the cause Journal of Liberal History 67 Summer 2010 39 A retreat from the left? of democracy throughout the drift under Clement Davies’ lead- a former Liberal candidate and world. They may do more ership’.10 Evidence of a shift away chairman of Radical Action, pro- damage even than 20 dictators. from undiluted enthusiasm for duced a discussion paper for the I am perfectly sure that they Labour’s programme can be found remaining members of Radical will go on with this great pro- in the autumn and winter of 1945. Action in 1948 which described gramme; all I hope is that pros- Speaking on the second reading of Byers as ‘irritating’ and ‘inad- perity will follow upon their the Dock Workers (Regulation of equate’ and implied that he was work.4 Employment) Bill, Davies agreed responsible for the party’s ditching with Labour’s aim of putting an its radical stance.17 It seems clear, Liberal support for government end to the casual labour system however, that Byers was reinforc- measures was expressed on sev- for engaging dock workers but ing a trend which had begun ear- eral occasions during the 1945–46 expressed concern at the impact lier and which reflected Davies’s session, mostly by Davies himself on the liberties of individual own view that Labour had insuf- who seems to have received lit- workers.11 Three weeks later, and ficient regard for civil liberties. tle support from his colleagues in somewhat surprisingly given his The King opened the 1946– flying the party flag in the Com- remarks in August, Davies partici- 47 session of parliament on 12 mons. His support for the nation- pated in a Conservative motion November 1946 and Clem- alisation of the Bank of England of censure on government policy, ent Davies made his speech in was criticised by the Conserva- moving a Liberal amendment response the next day. General tives as a ‘blank sheet’ policy.5 which attacked Labour for sacri- support for Labour’s programme Later in 1945, Davies supported ficing civil liberties.12 It is notable was combined with a note of cau- the National Insurance (Indus- that Davies’s concerns were ‘right- tion, absent a year earlier: trial Injuries) Bill but admon- wing’ in terms of the language of ished the government for being the times but were entirely con- With regard to the legisla- insufficiently radical.6 Criticism sistent with the Liberal Party’s tive proposals, I repeat what of socialist timidity was also traditional approach to individual I said at the beginning of this expressed by Roderic Bowen in rights. Parliament … we as Liberals his maiden speech. Bowen, widely When Horabin resigned as will support every progressive regarded as a right-winger,7 began Liberal Chief Whip he claimed measure which is really for the his speech on the Trunk Roads that this was because he wanted benefit of the community as Bill with the words ‘I shall ven- to contribute more often to a whole … But that is on one ture to criticise a socialist Minis- debate in the House.13 He made Left-wing condition, that whereas we ter on the score that his scheme of only one speech – on foreign want these radical economic nationalisation is of far too limited affairs in June 1946 – before he Liberals were reforms as much as any hon. a character’.8 resigned the Liberal Whip in later in no Member sitting on that side of The approach taken by Dav- October 1946. On this occasion the House, we will not part ies and Horabin was based on the he was more candid about the doubt that with a single one of our spir- notion that the Labour and Liberal reasons for his departure, com- itual liberties, which are far and Parties were united by a common plaining that the Liberals had byers had away more important than any purpose and differed only in terms moved to the right and that the economic reform.18 of zeal and commitment: this government deserved the support moved the view was reflected in a confer- of radicals.14 Davies appointed The Liberals also brought for- ence organised by Radical Action Frank Byers, the new MP for party to the ward an amendment for debate, at Brackley in April 1946, which Dorset North, to replace Horabin attacking the trade union closed Davies and Horabin attended.