Liberal Party, UK

THE LIBERAL PARTY in Great Britain is a tiny remnant of the political power base it was in the 19th century. Then, it was one of the two major parties and dominated British politics for decades.

The Liberal Party in England developed from the the Whigs, who were a parliamentary faction in opposition to the religious policies of King Charles II. In the 18th century, they supported the Hanoverian succession. The Tories were their conservative opponents who supported the established system of church and aristocratic class, which controlled agriculture and rural areas. The Whigs were the party of reform in the 18th century and usually represented a medley of middleclass interests and the views of the industrial and commercial interests.

By the 1830s, political parties had developed from factions into organized groups of people sharing a common political philosophy. The organized groups, or parties, sought to take control of the government in order to put their philosophy into law. Their aim was to then make the laws and run the government on the basis of their political principles. The Whig political elements in this period represented the rising industrial and financial interests in the country. They were as a result in favor of free trade and free markets.

Growing uncomfortable with the aristocratic associations connoted by the name “Whig,” they began to call themselves “liberals.” The name was taken from French and Continental practice. This party dominated much of 19th-century politics. In 1868, the party officially adopted the name “Liberal” when William Gladstone became prime minister. The year 1868 was the high-water mark of the Liberal Party, when it captured 61.5 percent of the vote and 387 of the Members of Parliament. In 1877, the National Liberal Federation was formed, which is the direct predecessor of the Liberal Party of the 20th century.

From 1868 until 1894, Gladstone led the Liberal Party as a brilliant orator and debater, and his leadership gained the party many of its goals. However, when he retired, the party seemed unfocused despite contributions he made behind the scenes. In 1900, Henry Campbell-Bannerman led the party in opposition to the Boer War. Other leaders of the time were Herbert Henry Asquith, Edward Grey, Winston Churchill, and David Lloyd-George. The opposition gave the party a great victory in the “Khaki election.” From 1900 until 1920, the Liberal Party fought for social, economic, political, and religious reforms. It pushed for disestablishment of religion, welfare reforms, limited working hours, national insurance, extending the vote to the working class and to the Irish, and for reform of the House of Lords.

The extension of the vote led to the rise of the Labour Party as this move brought into the electorate great numbers of people who did not vote for the Liberal Party. It also weakened the Liberal Party because it now needed the support of Irish nationalists. A major realignment of voter loyalties was the end result. In 1908 Asquith replaced Campbell-Bannerman as leader. By 1912, foment in Ireland led to the introduction of a bill on home rule. Tensions on this issue were high at the beginning of World War I in 1914.

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