i Coalition and Conservative Cabinet reactions to the Communist threat to Britain 1917-1927 Luke Alexander Maynard Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2019 ii Statement of originality I, Luke Maynard, confirm that the research included within this thesis is my own work or that where it has been carried out in collaboration with, or supported by others, that this is duly acknowledged below and my contribution indicated. Previously published material is also acknowledged below. I attest that I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge break any UK law, infringe any third party’s copyright or other Intellectual Property Right, or contain any confidential material. I accept that the College has the right to use plagiarism detection software to check the electronic version of the thesis. I confirm that this thesis has not been previously submitted for the award of a degree by this or any other university. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author. Signature: Luke Maynard Date: 15/05/2019 iii Abstract Despite plenty of fine research on the inter-war period there has, of yet, been no detailed study of the reaction in Whitehall and Westminster to the Bolshevik revolution in Russia during the Llyod George Coalition and Conservative Governments in this period. This thesis fills that gap by tackling the bitter clashes between moderates and hardliners in the Coalition and Conservative Cabinets over how, where and when Britain should handle the threat posed by Communism. It looks at the extraordinary circumstances of the age, a time of radical and profoundly uncertain political and social change, seen by many at the time as a point of potential rupture from the existing representative institutions and traditions. Starting with the Russian revolution and debate over military intervention in the Russian Civil War, it explores key flashpoints over the next ten years, including mass soldiers' strikes, rebellion on the Clyde and the General Strike of 1926. Using source material obtained from the Baldwin Archives, the Cabinet Archives, Hansard, the Chamberlain Papers and Churchill Archive, among others, the thesis maps and analyses the fluid changes in the factions within the Cabinet and the factors that influenced key political figures. Looking at the leadership of Lloyd George and Baldwin, it asks how governance was maintained over such an emotive issue and how the divides in Cabinet and the Conservative Party impacted the policy of government. This thesis argues that both premiers were able to forge a path which suited their own moderate approach but which was tempered by the views of the hardliners - a middle way that, by stretching cabinet collective responsibility to its limits helps account for the durability of both coalition and single party government in the decade following the First World War iv Acknowledgments Firstly, my thanks must go to Professor Tim Bale. He has been invaluable as my PhD supervisor: encouraging and always a great source of advice; helping with my understanding of the period, talking me through the difficult decisions and always available when I needed guidance. Thanks also to my friends and peers in the Department, Alan Wager, Dr Paul Simms and Dr Jack Brown, providing humour and advice along the way. The support, love and patience of my parents Ann and Paul, and my partner Olivia has also been above and beyond, keeping me sane over the last four years, offering respite when needed, and encouragement when necessary. v Contents Chapter 1. Introduction: Cabinet debate and splits within the Lloyd George Coalition and Conservative Government Party on the issue of Bolshevism, 1917 – 1927. ....................................... 1 The parameters of the research ........................................................................................................ 1 The period and political parties in question, and the focus on Cabinet ........................................... 2 The Cabinet and factions over Bolshevism...................................................................................... 6 Hardliners ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Moderates/Pragmatists ................................................................................................................. 9 The silent section ....................................................................................................................... 11 Diehards and Hardliners............................................................................................................. 12 Influences on faction membership ................................................................................................. 14 The gap to fill ................................................................................................................................. 16 The scene is set .............................................................................................................................. 18 Chapter 2. Literature Review ............................................................................................................. 21 Key literature.................................................................................................................................. 21 Overviews of the period ................................................................................................................. 23 On the parties ................................................................................................................................. 24 Key individuals .............................................................................................................................. 27 The British Left .............................................................................................................................. 32 Key events ...................................................................................................................................... 34 Chapter 3: “Kill the Bolshie, Kiss the Hun?” – Russian Intervention, 1917 – 1921 ......................... 40 Revolution in Russia and Brest-Litovsk ........................................................................................ 40 Argument for intervention and the end of war ............................................................................... 47 Early 1919: The debates in London and Prinkipo .......................................................................... 56 The Paris Peace Talks ..................................................................................................................... 65 March 1919–1920: Post-Paris debates and an end to intervention ................................................ 71 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 84 Chapter 4: “The Road to Revolution”? Domestic Unrest and Bolshevik Conspiracies, Britain 1917 - 1919 .................................................................................................................................................... 87 The government, the threat of revolution and party splits ............................................................. 88 1918 – 1919: Strikes ...................................................................................................................... 92 The Clyde ................................................................................................................................. 101 The soldiers' strikes, 1919 ........................................................................................................ 105 vi The police strikes, 1918 - 1919 ................................................................................................ 113 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 119 Chapter 5: “Where are those Communists? Let us hear them” – Domestic Unrest, 1920 – 1924 ... 121 Hands Off Russia, the last year of intervention, and Polish Aid .................................................. 123 The miners' strike, September – October 1920 ............................................................................ 127 Black Friday, April 1921 .............................................................................................................. 130 The Conservative Party, the Russian Trade Agreement and the Genoa Conference ................... 134 Genoa ....................................................................................................................................... 138 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 142 Chapter 6: “Behind Socialism stands Communism, behind Communism, Moscow!” Stanley Baldwin:, Rise to Power and Electoral Defeat, 1922 – 1925 ........................................................... 145 The election of 1922, retirement of Law and leadership election ................................................ 146 Leadership contest and the rise of Baldwin ................................................................................