For the study of Liberal, SDP and Issue 63 / Summer 2009 / £6.00 Liberal Democrat history Journal of LiberalHI ST O R Y Liberals in wartime Mark Egan Radical Action and the Liberal Party during the Second World War Dr J. Graham Jones David and Maggie Lloyd George’s courtship Report ‘Taxes that will bring forth fruit’ The People’s Budget of 1909 Report Liberal Democrats in Europe 21 years of success or failure? Peter Francis Gladstone 200 Campaign by the library at St Deiniol’s Liberal Democrat History Group Publication announcement Coming into Focus The transformation of the Liberal Party 1945–64 The survival of the Liberal Party after 1945 is one of the most surprising phenomena in modern British political history. By the late 1940s, the Party’s lingering death throes seemed to be reaching their conclusion. With only a handful of parliamentary seats and no message to offer the electorate, the flame carried by Gladstone and Lloyd George was nearly extinguished. But the Liberal Party clung on and then revived in the 1960s. Coming into Focus, published by VDM Verlag Dr. Muller Aktiengesellschaft & Co. KG, provides new perspectives on the survival and revival of the Liberal Party after 1945. It shows how the independence of Liberal associations, the recruitment of Liberal activists in the late 1940s, and the Party’s strength in local government in northern England were important reasons for the Party’s survival. A new wave of recruitment after 1955, inspired by Jo Grimond’s leadership, facilitated the Liberal revival, but a key factor was the development of early forms of community politics in a number of towns and cities in England and Scotland. This led to an explosion in the number of Liberal councillors, particularly in suburban areas. Not only was the Party saved, but the foundations for the modern Liberal Party and its successor were laid. About the author Mark Egan was educated at University College, Oxford and completed his doctorate on the grassroots history of the Liberal Party in 2000. He is a regular contributor to the Journal of Liberal History and has also recently completed a book on the history of pilotage on the River Tyne. Ordering a copy The recommended retail price of Coming into Focus is £70.00, though Amazon are currently offering it for £59.50. However, it will be possible to buy more heavily discounted copies if we receive enough interest to place a bulk order. If you would like to buy a copy of Coming into Focus for about £30, contact the Editor, Duncan Brack (020 8674 0612 or [email protected]) by 31 July 2009. 2 Journal of Liberal History 63 Summer 2009 Journal of Liberal History Issue 63: Summer 2009 The Journal of Liberal History is published quarterly by the Liberal Democrat History Group. ISSN 1479-9642 Radical Action and the Liberal Party during the 4 Editor: Duncan Brack Second World War Deputy Editor: Tom Kiehl Assistant Editor: Siobhan Vitelli Mark Egan tells the story of this influential pressure group within the Liberal Biographies Editor: Robert Ingham Party Reviews Editor: Dr Eugenio Biagini Contributing Editors: Graham Lippiatt, Tony Little, David and Maggie 18 York Membery Dr J. Graham Jones uses diaries and correspondence files to examine the courtship between David Lloyd George and Margaret Owen between 1884 and Patrons their marriage in 1888 Dr Eugenio Biagini; Professor Michael Freeden; Professor John Vincent Report: ‘Taxes that will bring forth fruit’ – the 32 Editorial Board centenary of the People’s Budget of 1909 Dr Malcolm Baines; Dr Roy Douglas; Dr Barry Doyle; Dr With Kenneth O. Morgan and Vince Cable MP; report by David Cloke David Dutton; Professor David Gowland; Dr Richard Grayson; Dr Michael Hart; Peter Hellyer; Ian Hunter; Dr J. Graham Jones; Tony Little; Professor Ian Machin; Dr Report: Campbell-Bannerman centenary 35 Mark Pack; Dr Ian Packer; Dr John Powell; Ed Randall; commemorations Jaime Reynolds; Dr Andrew Russell; Iain Sharpe Sandy Waugh reports the commemorations of autumn 2008 Editorial/Correspondence Report: Liberal Democrats in Europe – 21 years of 36 Contributions to the Journal – letters, articles, and book reviews – are invited. The Journal is a refereed sccess or failure? publication; all articles submitted will be reviewed. With William Wallace and Sarah Ludford MEP; report by Graham Lippiatt Contributions should be sent to: Duncan Brack (Editor) Letters to the Editor 39 38 Salford Road, London SW2 4BQ How long was Lloyd George an MP? (Kenneth. O. Morgan and David Williams); email: [email protected] Sheelagh Murnaghan (Berkley Farr); CB and women’s suffrage Sandy( Waugh); All articles copyright © Journal of Liberal History. Morley and Gladstone (Patrick Jackson) Advertisements Reviews 41 Full page £100; half page £60; quarter page £35. Green and Tanner, The Strange Survival of Liberal England, reviewed by Martin Discounts available for repeat ads or offers to readers Pugh; Marquand, Britain Since 1918, reviewed by Tom McNally; Grimwood, ‘A (e.g. discounted book prices). To place ads, please contact the Editor. Little Chit of a Fellow’: a Biography of the Rt. Hon. Leslie Hore-Belisha, reviewed by Graham Lippiatt; Holmes (ed.), A Liberal Mind in Action: Essays in Honour of Subscriptions/Membership Richard Holme, reviewed by David Steel An annual subscription to the Journal of Liberal History costs £20.00 (£12.50 unwaged rate). This includes Gladstone 200 47 membership of the History Group unless you inform Peter Francis describes the Gladstone 200 Campaign at St Deiniol’s Library us otherwise. Non-UK subscribers should add £5.00. The institutional rate is £50.00, which includes online access. 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July 2009 Chair: Tony Little Honorary President: Lord Wallace of Saltaire Journal of Liberal History 63 Summer 2009 3 Radical ActioN AND thE LIBEral PartY DUriNG thE SEcoND World War Radical Action was Unlike Common uring the Sec- ond World War, an influential pressure Wealth, Radical the main politi- group within the Action did not break cal parties agreed Liberal Party during free from the existing to suspend the Dnormal contest for seats in Par- the Second World party structure, but liament and on local councils. Well observed at first, the truce War. It questioned remained within increasingly came under chal- the necessity for the the Liberal Party. It lenge from independents of vari- ous hues and the newly created wartime electoral played a major role Common Wealth Party. Radical truce, campaigned in preserving the Action – originally known as the Liberal Action Group – was enthusiastically independence of the formed by Liberals who wished in support of the party after 1945 and to break the truce. Supported by a number of party activists, Beveridge Report, in arguing for social including a number of sitting and urged the MPs and ‘rising stars’, Radical liberalism at a time Action also campaigned success- party leadership to when economic fully to keep the Liberals out of a post-war coalition. The group fight the post-war liberals were in the had a significant influence on general election as an ascendant. Mark Egan the Liberal Party’s attitude to the 1 Conservative Party and helped independent entity. tells its story. ensure the party’s survival as an 4 Journal of Liberal History 63 Summer 2009 Radical ActioN AND thE LIBEral PartY DUriNG thE SEcoND World War independent entity in the post- July 1941, following the failure Johnson was a rebel who war era. of the Liberal Assembly even to stood against the ‘social climate Radical Action was also a debate a motion calling for the of prestige, family, tradition, manifestation of the ideological end of the party truce then in subservience, moral cowardice dispute within the party which operation in both national and and anything which militated was not finally resolved until the local politics. The moving force against political independence’.3 era of Jo Grimond’s leadership behind the group was Donald He had stood as an independent after 1956. The Liberal Party of Johnson, then prospective Lib- candidate at Liverpool Waver- the 1940s was predominantly eral parliamentary candidate for tree in a by-election in February concerned with free trade, sound Bewdley, who had persuaded 1935, criticising both major par- money and ‘ownership for all’, the Bewdley Liberal Associa- ties for their attitudes towards all right-wing themes, particu- tion to sponsor the resolution the international situation. He larly in the context of the politi- opposing the truce. The resolu- out-polled the Liberal candi- cal debate of the time. Radical Radical tion was opposed by the leader- date in Liverpool but came third Action organised conferences at ship of the party, placed last on and was persuaded that he had which different visions of Brit- Action played the Assembly agenda and was to join a political party in order ain’s economic and social devel- a major role not reached before the Assem- to gain a wider hearing for his opment could be discussed and bly concluded.