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 Politics and Parties from the Reform Act of 1867 to the Parliament Act of 1911
  1886-1911, Recent Affairs; Part 2

1886-1911, Recent Affairs; Part 2

Lord Salisbury remained in office till 1892, and was then succeeded, as we have seen, by Mr. Gladstone. But he became prime minister for the third time in 1895. The alliance of the Unionist elements now became a coalition. A strong administration was formed which included Mr. Balfour and Sir M. Hicks-Beach, the Duke of Devonshire and Lord Lansdowne, Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Goschen. On Lord Salisbury's retirement in 1902 (followed by that of Mr. Goschen and Sir M. Hicks-Beach), Mr. Balfour, Lord Salisbury's nephew, became prime minister. Very shortly afterwards, in 1903, Mr. Chamberlain proposed a policy of Tariff Reform, with the object, at one and the same time, of encouraging home manufactures and of drawing our Imperial ties closer through a system of preferential tariffs with the colonies. These proposals broke up the Unionist party; Mr. Chamberlain left office in order to advocate his policy with greater freedom, whilst the Duke of Devonshire and others resigned because Mr. Balfour sympathized with that policy. The dissensions in the Unionist ranks combined with other causes to lead to an overwhelming victory for the Liberals in 1906, and the long Unionist rule came to an end.

Of the later history it is too early to say anything at all. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman formed a Liberal administration, and on his resignation, shortly before his death, in 1908, Mr. Asquith succeeded as prime minister. The most significant feature of the new Parliament of 1906 lay perhaps in the appearance of the new Labour group of some fifty members. The Irish Home Rule party already formed one section of some eighty members independent of the two great parties in the State, and the growth of another may lead to important developments in our party system. It is possible, therefore, for this as well as for other reasons, that the year 1906 may form the beginning of a new era in the history of our politics. The period since 1906 has been one of considerable legislative activity. But the House of Lords rejected some of the chief Liberal measures, and finally rejected the Budget at the close of 1909. Mr. Asquith at once dissolved Parliament and a fresh election was held, with the result that the Liberals remained in power, but with a majority of only two over the Unionists. The support, however, of the Irish and Labour parties gave them a majority of 120, which enabled them to re-pass the Budget in the House of Commons, and it was then accepted by the House of Lords. Mr. Asquith brought forward at the same time proposals for curtailing the powers of the House of Lords, but the death of King Edward VII in May, 1910, led to a truce between the political parties, and to an attempt at effecting a compromise as to the constitution and powers of the House of Lords in future.

Chronology
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