The Impact of the Great War on Scottish Politics Collect a copy of the starter image to stick in your jotter The Great War had the following impact on the political landscape of ……

• The decline of the Liberal Party as a political force

• The rise of the Labour Party as a dominant political presence

• Red Clydeside - the emergence of radicalism in the West of Scotland

• The post-war effect on the 1922 election and beyond Decline of the Liberals  The war divided the Liberal Party who were traditionally anti-war  As war progressed ideas of non-intervention were fading, the government had to get directly involved in people’s lives which went against core Liberal beliefs.  Introduction of conscription split the Liberals too  Shell Scandal of 1915 made the Liberals look incompetent  New coalition in May 1915 with Lloyd George as Munitions Minister  PM Asquith replaced by Lloyd George in December 1916 (party rivalry caused division)  Coupon Election 1918 - Lloyd George (Liberals) and Andrew Bonar Law (Conservatives) provided a letter of support for candidates who had supported the coalition  Agreement between both parties not to stand against each other  All 159 coupon Liberals won  Former PM Asquith lost his seat in Fife  But by 1924 Liberals only had 8 seats in Scotland  Liberal Party could no longer rely on traditional working class support Rise of the Labour Party  1893 (ILP) formed by Scot Keir Hardie – offshoot of Lib/Lab candidates after 1884 Reform Act  ILP popular in Scotland as they focused on local issues like housing reform  1914 election 800,000 votes  1918 election 2,000,000 votes (1/3 of all Scottish votes)  1918 right to vote given to all men over 21 and women over 30  Increased working class suffrage (party of the people)  Catholic support increased after Liberals actions in 1916

Red Clydeside – Part 1  Radicalism of workers between 1915 and 1919  Government fear of communist revolution  The introduction of dilution in 1915 worried skilled manual workers  William Weir, the despised Controller of Munitions in Scotland – Fairfield Shipyard workers two week strike to protest hiring of American engineers on better wages  Introduction of Leavers Certificates heightened tension between workers and the government  Glasgow Rent Strikes of 1915 – victory for the women and the workers over the government  Government concerned about rise of radicalism that might affect war-time production (public support)  Clyde Workers Committee (CWC) - Willie Gallacher, David Kirkwood, John Maclean  DORA had banned all war-time striking and government feared the CWC were revolutionists (CWC very much against DORA)  Lloyd George met with CWC on Christmas Day in 1915  Following strikes to protest dilution Kirkwood was arrested and Maclean banned from Glasgow  Workers strikes over introduction of conscription in 1916 was not publically supported Red Clydeside – Part 2  Post war demand for reduction of 54 hour week to accommodate returning soldiers  CWC suggested 5 day week of 30 hours  Friday 31st January George Square, 90,000 strikers, police baton charge – unprovoked?  Red Flag concerned Gov (Russia 14 months earlier, Spartacists in Germany)  Sporadic fighting all over Glasgow between police and workers  Robert Munro, Secretary of State for Scotland, ‘Bolshevik Uprising’  12,000 English soldiers brought up, 6 tanks, machine gun posts (no Maryhill soldiers)  47 hour working week compromise  A clear government over-reaction, whilst Gallagher would have marched to Maryhill, most workers were just looking for a better standard of living

1922 Election and beyond…  At 1922 election 40 of the 43 Labour candidates were ILP members  10 of 15 seats in Glasgow were won by ILP  In mid 1920s 1/3 of ILP membership was in Scotland (300 out of 1000 branches)  Conservatives were popular with Scots who did not sympathise with Red Clydesiders  By 1924 the Conservatives were the biggest party in Scotland gaining 38 seats to Labour’s 26 attracting middle class support as the party of law and order (fear of revolution)  As Labour’s popularity increased and became a legitimate candidacy for government, they distanced themselves from the radicalism of the ILP  1924 election minority Labour Government led by Scot Ramsay MacDonald