Liberal History News Spring 2010
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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, National Liberal Club, 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 Gladstone’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 possible, 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 Westminster On Gladstone’s birthday at greatest’ over ‘the whole surface A Abbey 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- Liverpool, his birthplace, and challenge today’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 politics 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, David Steel 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 Northern England. 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, Barack Obama’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 Benjamin Disraeli, 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 Tony Blair,’ 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.