AN OUTsidER’S VIEW OF EARLY TWENTIETH-CENTURY LIBERAls LibERAlisM And LibERAL POliTiciAns in JOhn BUchAN’S liFE And FicTION The first half of the twentieth century saw the electoral triumph of the Liberal Party in the 1906 election, the struggles of Liberalism to cope with the demands of the First World War, the split between Lloyd George and Asquith, and the collapse of the party through the 1920s and 1930s. That period also formed the backdrop to the novels of John Buchan, in many of which were depicted Liberal characters and Liberal ideas. Malcolm Baines looks at Buchan’s portrayal of Liberals and what this tells us about the Liberal Party of that period – as seen through the eyes of an outsider who himself had something of a Liberal heritage and outlook. 6 Journal of Liberal History 82 Spring 2014 AN OUTsidER’S VIEW OF EARLY TWENTIETH-CENTURY LIBERAls LibERAlisM And LibERAL POliTiciAns in JOhn BUchAN’S liFE And FicTION ohn Buchan is best known as Intelligence Corps in 1916). A third there than in the more rural areas the author of The Thirty Nine series of novels revolved around of the Scottish Borders.3) Let down JSteps, popularised through a Dickson McCunn, a romantic, by the colonial ex-Premier he had number of film and TV adapta- retired Glasgow grocer; Buchan booked to speak, Sir Harry is look- tions. Less well known are not only had studied at Glasgow University ing for a free trader who can tell the large number of other nov- and had a good knowledge of the the locals what a poor deal protec- els and historical biographies that Scottish Borders where many of the tion is for the colonies. The can- he wrote, but the fact that he was McCunn stories are set. Common didate’s speech is poor – he says to also a Unionist MP between 1927 to many of the books, however – Hannay beforehand, ‘I’m Liberal, and 1935 and then Governor Gen- whether the thrillers of Leithen and because my family have always eral of Canada from 1935 to 1940. Hannay or the more light-hearted been Whigs’ – but Buchan portrays Consequently, Buchan was very McCunn novels – is the role played him as a man who can see Hannay much part of the governing estab- by politics as an important part of is no murderer and who gives him a lishment of the United Kingdom the background. recommendation to his godfather, and friendly with most of the lead- Although Buchan was a Con- the Permanent Secretary at the For- ing politicians and other figures servative, Liberal politicians appear eign Office, which proves crucial in of the period. This keen interest in many of his novels, and this foiling the German plot.4 Buchan’s and involvement in politics shines reflects both his upbringing in a writing captures many character- through in many of his novels and strongly Liberal nineteenth-cen- istics of pre- and inter-war politics, short stories, and the roles played tury Scotland and his friendships not least the importance of relation- by the Liberal characters he depicts with leading Liberal politicians ships, and this article will look at form a central part of this article. such as Haldane1 and the Asquiths. some of these in more detail as they Many of his characters, both One of the vignettes in The Thirty appear in his novels and with refer- major and minor, appear in more Nine Steps that survived to grace ence to Buchan’s own Tory political than one book. As a result, they many of the subsequent adaptations career and his interaction with his have a holistic quality, with their depicts a Liberal by-election meet- Liberal contemporaries. fictional lives developing and por- ing in the Scottish Borders. Han- It is perhaps surprising that trayed at different stages of the first nay, the novel’s hero, has fled to Buchan was a Conservative rather half of the twentieth century. The Scotland, wrongly accused of mur- than a Liberal politician. His father major ones frequently reflected der. His car crashes whilst avoid- was a minister in the Free Church aspects of Buchan’s own life and ing another vehicle driven by the of Scotland, a group that broke experience. Sir Edward Leithen, constituency’s Liberal candidate, away from the established Church the protagonist in five novels, was, Sir Harry. Sir Harry says he has ‘a of Scotland in 1843 over the role of like Buchan, a Scottish barrister meeting on tonight in Brattleburn the state in the governance of the and Tory politician. Sir Richard – that’s my chief town and an infer- church. According to Pelling, prior Hannay appears as a South Afri- nal Tory stronghold.’2 (Interest- to the 1880s the majority of Free can mining engineer in The Thirty ingly, Pelling in Social Geography of Church clergy were Liberal sup- Nine Steps (Buchan had worked in British Elections 1885–1910 comments porters – in contrast to the Church South Africa after the Boer War) that because Presbyterian Dissent- of Scotland where the Conserva- and in subsequent novels as a First ers were stronger than the Church tives remained strong.5 Buchan, in World War army officer and secret of Scotland in the towns, the Con- John Buchan his own memoirs, Memory Hold- agent (Buchan was posted to the servatives were generally weaker (1875–1940) the-Door, states that his family Journal of Liberal History 82 Spring 2014 7 libERAlisM And libERAL POliTiciANS in JOhn BUchAN’S liFE And FicTION became Unionist in response to in Peebles and Selkirk, where a Scottish Borders by-election in a Gladstone’s weakness in leaving Asquith’s stepmother’s fam- rural seat just like Peebles and Sel- General Gordon to be killed in ily lived.10 In the event, Asquith kirk, although here the action takes Khartoum, as well out of sympathy was selected for Derby in 1912. place in the 1920s so Labour is also a for the plight of Ulster’s Protestants Buchan, however, had been cho- factor. Two of the Diehards, Jaikie threatened by the Liberal leader’s sen the year before as the Tory and Dougal, go on a walking tour conversion to home rule. This does candidate for Peebles and Sel- around the area and meet up with not appear to have been an unu- kirk – which was a Liberal seat, Thomas Carlyle Craw, an unctu- sual response to these events among although between 1886 and 1906 ous newspaper editor who has been his father’s peers.6 His mother’s it had been represented by a Lib- kidnapped by Tory students in Borders’ farming family, the Mas- eral Unionist.11 There he was to error for the Liberal leader and then tertons, however, had a Liberal face Donald Maclean, who had released without ceremony into background. only been elected as the Liberal the Scottish countryside. Trying to Buchan writes in his memoirs MP in the immediately previ- avoid some central-European revo- that he was a ‘professed Tory’ at ous election in December 1910.12 lutionaries whose cause Craw had Glasgow University but also that he Pelling comments that most of espoused and now regretted, the chose to support Herbert Asquith the Tory strength in the con- three are on the run and spend the in the Rectorial election whilst he stituency was associated with evening dropping in on the differ- was there. Moreover, he had many the landholdings of the Duke ent by-election meetings. The Tory Liberal friends from his time study- of Buccleuch, amounting to one not seeming very entertaining, ing at Oxford – including Asquith’s over 60,000 acres in Selkirk- they go to the Liberal one at which son, Raymond Asquith – as well shire.13 The local paper reviewed the candidate and the party leader, as from his time working for Lord Buchan’s speech at the adop- Foss Jones, a thinly disguised Lloyd Milner in South Africa and as a tion meeting, which reflected George, speak: publisher in London before the the views expressed thirty years First World War. Furthermore, his later in his memoirs: ‘Let’s go there,’ said Jaikie [to wife’s father, Norman Grosvenor, Craw], ‘I have never seen Foss who died in 1898, had been Lib- Mr John Buchan is rather Jones. Have you?’ ‘No’, was the eral MP for Chester between 1869 advanced in his opinions to answer [from Craw], ‘but he and 1874.7 Up until about 1910, it please some of the more rabid tried several times to make me was possible for Buchan’s political Tories. Part of his programme a peer.’ friends to imagine him standing for is stated to be: Abolition of either of the main parties: Charles the hereditary principle of the Craw and Jaikie go on to the Masterman, already by then the House of Lords, Free Trade Labour meeting where they bump Under-Secretary for the Home and a scheme of Small Hold- into the local Communist. After Department in the Liberal govern- ings. How the Unionist Tariff telling them how much the Com- ment, insisted to Susan Buchan that Reformers will act with such munists respect the Tory enemy, he should stand, saying, ‘and don’t a programme remains to be he goes on to add, ‘Liberalism is let him be a mugwump, let him join seen. Certain it is that some an antique which we contemptu- either the Liberals or the Tories, I who attended the meeting ously kick out of the road’, before don’t mind which, but one or the are not at all keen on such an describing the Labour Party’s lead- other.’8 In the event, Buchan stayed advanced programme.14 ers as men treasonable to social- loyal to his prior allegiances and ism who will meet the fate of all chose the Conservatives.