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Liberal History News spring 2010

Liberal History News is a new regular feature in the savage, as we call him’, from devoted member. Yet at the same Journal (except in special themed the 1879 Midlothian campaign time this devoted churchman was issues), reporting news of meet- speech on the Afghan war. Rev the political hero of most Non- ings, conferences, commemora- Paul Hunt, chairman of the conformists, he devoted much of tions, dinners or any other events, , hinted his political capital to an attempt together with anything else of at the expenses scandal when he to end the religious and political contemporary interest to our spoke of ’s assertion that subjection of the Catholics of Ire- readers. Contributions are very ‘nothing that is morally wrong land, and he fought for the right welcome; please keep them rea- can be politically right’, while of an atheist to sit in the House of sonably concise, and accompany Rev Peter Francis, Warden of Commons. them, if , with photos. St Deiniol’s Library, Gladstone’s He had turned from a Tory Email to the Editor on journal@ national memorial, noted the upbringing to the promotion of liberalhistory.org.uk Grand Old Man’s belief that ‘life Liberalism. It was a Liberalism is a great and noble calling, not a which asserted the value of every mean and grovelling thing’. Sir human being. It embraced, as we Gladstone bicentenary Alan Beith delivered the eulogy, heard in his own ringing terms, wreath-laying cer- which is reproduced below. ‘the meanest along with the emony in On Gladstone’s birthday at greatest’ over ‘the whole surface AAbbey on 12 January 2010 the end of December, wreaths of the earth’. At home it involved completed the bicentenary year of were also laid in ceremonies in tackling the very issues which the birth of Liberal Prime Min- , his birthplace, and challenge ’s politicians, ister William Gladstone. History Edinburgh, where he was MP Group chair Tony Little was between 1880 and 1895 (see story there: below). The wreath was laid on Glad- stone’s grave, after evensong, by children from Gladstone’s family He made matter in the presence of Sir William Rt Hon Sir Alan Beith MP’s Gladstone, the Dean of Westmin- address at the wreath-laying ster Abbey and a congregation ceremony in honour of the 200th of around a hundred, including anniversary of Gladstone’s birth, eminent historians of the Victo- Westminster Abbey, January rian era and prominent Liberal 2010: Democrat politicians Charles Today we honour William Kennedy and Lord McNally. Ewart Gladstone, four times The ceremony took place in Prime Minister of this country the shadows of the Abbey’s statues and Leader of the Liberal Party. of Gladstone and Disraeli which, Born 200 years ago, he not failing to look each other in the only lived through almost all of eye and separated by a ‘neutral’ the nineteenth century, he domi- monument, give the impression nated the politics of that century. of continued rivalry on either side He achieved that dominance with of an invisible House of Com- a sense of moral purpose rooted mons, Gladstone posed next to in his Christian beliefs, and it is the statue of his mentor Sir Rob- all the more fitting that we hon- ert Peel. our him in this Abbey, which Appropriately, he knew so well, following the read Gladstone’s warning to Evensong service of the Church ‘remember the rights of the of England of which he was a

4 Journal of Liberal History 66 Spring 2010 liberal history news most notably stabilising the pub- Gladstone concerned.’ Matev was speak- the Liberals’ triumph at the bal- lic finances and modernising the ing at the launch of Gladstone’s lot box. political system by opening it up was no bicentenary celebrations at the Gladstone’s actions gained to voices and groups which had four-time Liberal Prime Minis- him heroic status and his name previously been excluded, from stranger to ter’s former London residence in was championed across Bulgaria. Westminster right down to the Carlton House Terrace last year. ‘There is hardly a town in Bul- parish council. Prime Minis- But the anniversary of his birth garia that doesn’t have a street In his support for the National in December 1809 was celebrated named in his honour,’ said Dr Liberal Club, of which he was terial leader- in almost equal measure by the Matev. Even during the long the founding president, he sought ambassador’s countrymen. Not years of communist rule, his to create a centre in London ship battles only was there lecture and recep- importance in the creation of the for those newcomers to politics tion at the Bulgarian embassy in Bulgarian state continued to be from all over Britain who would or party London, there was also a special emphasised. not readily have gained admit- Gladstonian academic conference ‘For someone like Gladstone tance to the gentlemen’s clubs of divisions, in the country’s capital, Sofia, and to speak out so clearly and pas- Victorian London. Party leaders a trip by the British-Bulgarian sionately – such a command- today worry about how to make but he never Friendship Society to Bulgaria to ing figure in the most powerful politics relevant to ordinary let them investigate his legacy. nation on earth – had a huge people. Gladstone drew vast The reason for the Grand Old impact,’ said Professor Richard crowds to listen to his ideas at blunt his Man’s enduring popularity is sim- Aldous, author of an acclaimed open-air meetings in Scotland, ple. In 1876, news of the brutal co-biography of Gladstone and Wales and the industrial centres determina- suppression of the ‘April Upris- Disraeli, The Lion and the Unicorn. of . Wherever ing’, an insurrection organised ‘While the parallel is far from he went he was presented with tion to fight by the Bulgarians in what was exact, look at the importance that petitions backing the causes he then part of the Ottoman Empire, ’s opposition to had espoused. He was a celebrity for what was involving regular units of the the war in Iraq on moral grounds whose picture hung in tens of Imperial Army and irregular had on a global audience and the thousands of homes and stared just. He was bashi-bazouk, reached the other importance that had in his subse- out with his steely gaze from end of Europe. The Tory govern- quent election campaign.’ cups, plates, medals and much a man of ment of , in What would Gladstone him- else of what we would now call keeping with normal British for- self have made of all the fuss sur- ‘merchandise’. He clearly made formidable eign policy, regarded the Otto- rounding the bicentenary? Peter politics matter. man Empire as a bulwark against Francis, warden of St Deiniol’s, Gladstone was no stranger intellect, possible Russian expansion into the prime ministerial library to Prime Ministerial leadership eastern Europe, and was reluctant founded by ‘the People’s Wil- battles or party divisions, but he incredible to become entangled in what it liam’ in Hawarden, North Wales, never let them blunt his deter- regarded as a largely domestic says: ‘I think he would have been mination to fight for what was industry, issue. But Gladstone was enraged deeply gratified, for the two just. He was a man of formidable massive self- by reports of the massacre of countries both had a special place intellect, incredible industry, thousands. He published a pow- in his heart.’ massive self-consciousness and conscious- erful polemic, Bulgarian Horrors turbulent spirit. He cannot have and the Question of the East, which been easy as a political colleague, ness and called for the Ottomans to with- Gladstone bicentenary event or easy to live with; indeed, he draw ‘bag and baggage’ from Bul- in Edinburgh found it difficult at times to live turbulent garia. ‘Let the Turks now carry he bicentenary of the birth with himself. But such is the way away their abuses in the only pos- of W.E. Gladstone was cel- with people who embody great- spirit. sible manner, namely, by carrying Tebrated in Edinburgh on 29 ness. He was a giant in the land. off themselves,’ he raged. December 2009; report by Nigel We should honour him not only The pamphlet sold 200,000 Lindsay. in the wreaths we lay but in what copies in a month, helped rally Amid thickly-falling snow, we do to advance the freedom other influential figures such as a wreath-laying ceremony took and well-being of humankind. the Italian nationalist Giuseppe place at the Grand Old Man’s Garibaldi to the Bulgarian cause, impressive statue in Coates Cres- and led to Europe-wide demands cent Gardens, part of his Midlo- Gladstone and Bulgaria for reform of the Ottoman thian constituency, in the city’s ork Membery traces Empire, which contributed to the west end. The wreath, which had the historic connections re-establishment of Bulgaria as been specially made in the Victo- Ybetween Gladstone and a de facto independent nation in rian fashion by Maxwell’s of Cas- Bulgaria. 1878. tle Street, was laid by Lord Steel. ‘Some of my countrymen In the ensuing Midlothian It is a tribute either to the rever- might be admirers of Margaret campaign of 1880, Gladstone ence in which Edinburgh citizens Thatcher or ,’ said drew frequent attention to the hold W.E.G, or perhaps to the Dr Lachezar Matev, the Bulgar- Bulgarian Horrors in a series of continuing icy weather, that the ian ambassador to Britain, ‘but mass public election rallies in wreath was still undisturbed in its William Gladstone will always which foreign policy played a place on the plinth of the statue a be number one as far as we’re surprisingly large part, leading to fortnight later.

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Gladstone 7/6, and 10/-. Lord Steel told how commemoration Gladstone had nevertheless cost in a snowy him a vote at the 1966 general Edinburgh, 29 election; that of a woman who December 2009 said she could never vote Lib- eral, much as she liked his year as MP, because ‘they would not send help for General Gordon’. He paid tribute to Gladstone as a nineteenth-century politician whose work remained relevant in the twenty-first century, men- tioning Gladstone’s advocacy of what would nowadays be called ‘an ethical foreign policy’ in and the Balkans and the G.O.M’s emphasis on extend- ing educational opportunity. He referred to the esteem in which Gladstone was held in Scotland, and pointed out that the comple- tion and inauguration of the huge statue in 1917, in the midst of the First World War, was evidence of this. After a brief pause for pho- tographs (see left) those present adjourned to the nearby Hilton Hotel in time to avoid frostbite setting in.

Among those attending in descendants Hannah Kemp- overcoats, scarves and hats were ton, Beth Marsden and Tom What would Gladstone think? Liberals who represented all strata Gladstone: he question of Gladstone’s of elected office in the area. In political views made its addition to Lord and Lady Steel, In his later years W.E. Glad- Tappearance in the 2010 elec- the company included Dr George stone enjoyed spending his tion campaign, after the Con- Grubb (the Lord Provost of Edin- birthdays on the Riviera, servative leader David Cameron burgh), John Barrett MP, Robert escaping the inclement Brit- quoted him in a speech on 27 Brown MSP, and councillors Paul ish winter weather. As the April. The following day, BBC Edie and Phil Wheeler of Edin- great, great, great, great, grand Radio 4’s Today programme took burgh City Council. Of these, nieces and nephew of W.E., up the issue, with an interview John Barrett then represented an we are more accustomed to the conducted by Justin Webb from area that was once part of Glad- Scottish habit of celebrating in the BBC’s Bristol studio. stone’s Midlothian constituency, all weathers and can think of while Phil Wheeler was Liberal no better place to do this than JW: David Cameron invoked candidate for Midlothian in 1974. Edinburgh. Two of us called the great Liberal Prime Minister Donald Gorrie, who previously the city home for the four years William Gladstone yesterday: represented part of the constitu- that we attended the Univer- ‘Government should make it dif- ency, was also present. sity, and others of Gladstone’s ficult for people to do wrong, and The ceremony was necessarily direct descendants have also easy for them to do right’. Well, brief because of the winter morn- studied here. So we join you perhaps we’re all Liberals now, ing temperature. The organiser all in wishing the Grand Old and if we are, has the West Coun- of the event, Nigel Lindsay, wel- Man a very happy birthday and try’s life support of the party in comed those who had braved the thank you for braving the ele- the barren post-war years been a weather, and reported apologies ments to remember him. service to the nation? from two councillors who were Professor Richard Aldous is unavoidably absent. He recalled Lord Steel then laid the wreath author of The Lion and the Unicorn: a centenarian elector who had and paid tribute to Gladstone’s Gladstone versus Disraeli, and Dun- supported him in an Aberdeen unique record as four times Prime can Brack is Editor of the Journal election in the early 1970s because Minister, concluding at the age of of Liberal History and chair of the of positive memories of Mr 84. He drew attention to the huge Liberal Democrat Conference Gladstone. audiences Gladstone attracted to Committee. Good morning to Willis Pickard then read the his public meetings and referred you both. following email message he to some tickets he had for one of RA: Good morning. had received from Gladstone’s those meetings – priced at 5/-, DB: Good morning.

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JW: Professor Aldous, there’s about economic interventionism JW: Why do you think that nothing terribly revolutionary, – he nationalised the telegraphs, was? What is it about West Coun- is there, about David Cameron and he was ready to nationalise try folk? praising William Gladstone; didn’t the rail companies if it proved DB: Yes, it’s interesting. Again Mrs Thatcher like him as well? necessary. So there’s not such a it’s the same with Scotland and RA: Yes, Mrs Thatcher always big change that happened in the Wales; these are areas which I claimed that she was a Gladsto- early twentieth century; I think think have quite a strong dis- nian liberal and was very proud there is a consistent theme from tinctive sense of geographical of it, and in some ways, of course, Gladstone. identity, and they see themselves it’s entirely legitimate for David JW: Professor Aldous? as very different from the centre, Cameron to claim Gladstone, RA: It’s important to remem- from the metropolis. And also, because before Gladstone was a ber as well – Duncan’s quite right I think, in the earlier part of the Liberal, he was a Conservative. about the social side of things century the survival of Non- He began his political career as – but we have to remember the conformity was very important; a Tory; he was a , and he other things which would appeal the Liberal Party was always a only really split from the main- particularly to the Conservatives Nonconformist Party in its back- stream of the Conservative Party at the moment. Gladstone’s big bone. Somebody described the in 1846, over the Corn Laws. So themes were retrenchment and people who were prepared to vote in many ways, Cameron is exactly low taxation; these were in many Liberal still in the ’40s and ’50s as right to say that Gladstone is as ways two of the key things that ‘awkward Nonconformists’. much part of the Conservative underpinned his philosophy. His And I think it was really tradition as he is part of the Lib- idea of retrenchment was that you important in keeping the parlia- eral one. should always get rid of waste in mentary tradition of the Liberal JW: Duncan Brack, how much government, even to the extent Party alive, so that people who is he part still of the Liberal one? that he insisted that the diplo- thought they were Liberals, but DB: Oh, enormously, I think. matic bags should always have didn’t think there was much point And I think that the quote that the labels scratched off them, so in voting for them anywhere else David Cameron came up with that they could be used again. in the country, then began to see – I’m not sure I can think of any- So, ideas in the Conservative the point of voting Liberal when one who would disagree with it! now about getting rid disillusion grew with the other There are plenty of other quotes of waste, I would have thought two parties in the’ 70s. that he could have made; for would be things that would very JW: Duncan Brack and Rich- example, from Gladstone: ‘Liber- much appeal to Gladstone. ard Aldous, thank you both. alism is trust in the people, only DB: That’s true up to a point, qualified by prudence; Conserva- but remember that government You can hear this interview at: http:// tism is mistrust in the people, expenditure in the mid-nine- news..co.uk/today/hi/today/ only qualified by fear.’ teenth century was very heavily newsid_8648000/8648296.stm I think there’s a core of belief directed to things that benefited in liberty, and diversity, and tol- the upper classes. They were erance, and decentralisation, and things like the military and the internationalism, that exists still diplomatic service; John Bright New on the History Group in the Lib Dems of today, and we called it ‘a gigantic system of website inherit from the Gladstonian Lib- outdoor relief for the aristocracy’. he Liberal Democrat His- eralism of the nineteenth century. Gladstone was concerned about tory Group’s website, at JW: But I suppose something not giving subsidies to the privi- Twww.liberalhistory.org. then happened, didn’t it, in the leged elite. uk, is gradually being updated early part of the twentieth cen- ‘Liberalism is JW: Can I ask you both about and expanded. tury, when you think of other the West Country? We’ve spent New on the site recently Liberal leaders, more recent trust in the three days now in the West is a biography of Sir Clem- Liberal leaders, who took a sort Country, and when you talk to ent Freud (1924–2009), Liberal of different tack, who believed people, only people, Liberal Democrats are MP for Isle of Ely 1973–87, much more in the state, to put it now very much obviously part written by Sir Alan Beith MP. over-bluntly? qualified by of the political mix here, in some The biography can be found DB: Well the New Liberalism places they have had representa- at: http://www.liberalhistory. of the early twentieth century, of prudence; tives, and they’re very much hop- org.uk/item_single.php?item_ Lloyd George and Asquith and Conserva- ing to get a few more this time id=60&item=biography Churchill – social liberalism, as round. Duncan Brack, is it down we would say today – certainly tism is mis- to the West Country that the Lib- accepted a bigger role for the eral Party managed to stay alive Apologies … state in setting the conditions in trust in the in the barren times? … for the late despatch of this which people can realise their DB: Yes, pretty much – along issue, which should have been freedom: good education, a good people, only with Scotland and Wales, I think. available in early April. Normal health service, help in old age and Those three areas almost always service will be resumed with unemployment. But I think that qualified by retained Liberal MPs, even in the ­Journal 67, a special issue on Gladstone is mis-remembered darkest days in the 1940s and ’50s ‘Liberalism and the Left’, which often; he was pretty pragmatic fear.’ and ’60s. should be available in early July.

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