The Impact of War and the Collapse of the Progressive Alliance: Political Change in Manchester, 1918–1922

Wolstencroft, Samantha

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-75744-5_7

Samantha Wolstencroft²

159 Accesses

Abstract

The author considers the landmark general election of 1918 and evaluates two important by-elections in Manchester during the lifetime of the Lloyd George coalition government, one in 1919 and one during the later stages of the coalition in 1922. The author illustrates the uneven character of Labour’s immediate post-war expansion in the city; it seems that the party did best where it was more concerned with practical working-class interests. While reflecting traditional Liberal concerns, Labour’s post-war economic and social programme amounted to a considered response to the most critical issues confronting Britain’s working-class communities. The Liberal Party, meanwhile, remained at sea with no clear identity or sense of purpose.

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Notes

1.
Many historians pay inadequate attention to the role of individual candidates in political development. One exception is Howell who identifies the role of candidates as of crucial importance in Labour’s growing electoral support after 1918. See D. Howell, Macdonald’s People: Labour Identities and Crisis, 1922–1931 (Oxford, 2002).
2.
In Gorton, the Conservative candidate was not officially sanctioned and ran as an independent Conservative.
3.
See Manchester Liberal Federation Miscellaneous Letters, July 11 1918.
4.
Manchester Guardian, 15 November 1918.
5.
D. Tanner, Political Change, p. 404.
6.
In Manchester, the MLF does appear to have responded quickly to a fast moving political situation. Registration work, for instance, began as soon as the new register was published; see Manchester Liberal Federation Minutes, 3 June 1918.
7.
See Manchester Liberal Federation Minutes, 20 February 1918, 4 March 1918 and 14 October 1918, and Midland Liberal Federation Minutes, 21 March 1919.
8.
See Manchester Liberal Federation Finance Committee Minutes, 4 September 1914, 31 January 1915 and 21 July 1918.
9.
Manchester Guardian, 15 November 1918.
10.
Ibid.
11.
Manchester Guardian, 16 November 1918.
12.
See Manchester Liberal Federation Minutes, November 1918. This policy was supported by Asquith; local federations could decide themselves whether they chose free Liberals or Coalition Liberals.
13.
Burditt , reported in the Manchester Guardian, 22 November 1918.
14.
See Manchester Guardian and Manchester Evening News, 23 November 1918.
15.
Ibid.
16.
Figure cited in Manchester Guardian, 22 November 1918, see also article ‘Reaching the soldiers: Manchester’s experience’, Manchester Guardian, 27 November 1918.
17.
Manchester Guardian, 27 November 1918.
18.
Proxy voters included men serving in Egypt, Macedonia and other distant fronts and those in the navy.
19.
Manchester Guardian, November 27 1918.
20.
Details from Manchester City News, 16 November 1918.
21.
See Manchester Guardian, 27 November 1918.
22.
Ibid.
23.
Manchester Guardian, 3 December 1918.
24.
See Manchester Guardian, 6 December 1918.
25.
See Manchester Guardian, 16 November 1918.
26.
Manchester Guardian, 22 November 1918.
27.
Manchester Guardian, 5 December 1918.
28.
Manchester Evening News, 26 November 1918.
29.
Manchester Evening News, 2 December 1918.
30.
See Manchester Guardian, 10 December 1918.
31.
R. McKibbin, Evolution, p. 107.
32.
Manchester Guardian, 11 December 1918.
33.
See Manchester Guardian, 30 November 1918.
34.
See Manchester City News, 4 December 1918.
35.
Ibid.
36.
Manchester Guardian, 13 December 1918.
37.
See ibid.
38.
See Manchester Guardian, 22 November 1918.
39.
See Manchester Guardian, 11 December 1918.
40.
The new parliamentary division of Clayton comprised a combination of the ‘better’ working-class districts such as Bradford and the more socially mixed Newton Heath.
41.
Manchester City News, 10 December 1918.
42.
See, for example, Manchester Guardian, 28 and 29 November 1918.
43.
See Manchester Guardian, 14 December 1918.
44.
See Manchester Guardian, 7 December 1918.
45.
Ibid.
46.
See Manchester City News, 14 December 1918.
47.
See the secretary’s report on the 1918 general election, Midland Liberal Federation Minutes, 21 March 1919.
48.
Ibid.
49.
See article outlining the basic premise of the new party constitution written by Sidney Webb in Labour Party leaflet number one, 1918 (new series), LSE Collection.
50.
Ibid.
51.
Manchester Guardian, 12 December 1918.
52.
Election details from F.W.S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results, pp. 184–194.
53.
Swing cannot be calculated for the 1918 general election due to boundary changes.
54.
See Manchester Guardian, 30 December 1918.
55.
Liberal Magazine, December 1918.
56.
Manchester Guardian, 30 December 1918.
57.
Ibid.
58.
Manchester City News, 14 January 1919.
59.
See Midland Liberal Federation report evaluating the 1918 general election, Midland Liberal Federation Minutes, 21 March 1919.
60.
Manchester City News, 4 January 1919.
61.
Oldham Chronicle, 4 January 1919.
62.
Ibid.
63.
P. Clarke, Lancashire, p. 395.
64.
R. Douglas, History of the Liberal Party, p. 131.
65.
See Manchester Labour Party Annual Report, 1918.
66.
Manchester Guardian, 6 September 1919.
67.
Ibid.
68.
Ibid.
69.
See ibid.
70.
Dunstan was, however, a member of the National Union of General Workers.
71.
See Manchester Guardian, 10 September 1919.
72.
See ibid.
73.
M. Stenton and S. Lees, Who’s Who of British Members of Parliament, vol. 2, p. 288.
74.
He had fought four previous general election campaigns and had played a key role in the establishment of the Federation of Discharged Soldiers and Sailors.
75.
Manchester Guardian, 12 September 1919.
76.
For Pringle’s position on the capital levy, see Manchester Guardian, 12 and 25 September 1919.
77.
Manchester Guardian, 26 September 1919.
78.
Ibid.
79.
See Manchester Guardian, 17 and 20 September 1919.
80.
See Manchester Guardian, 22 September 1919.
81.
See Manchester Guardian, 7 October 1919.
82.
Manchester Guardian, 25 September 1919.
83.
Manchester Guardian, 12 September 1919.
84.
See Manchester Guardian, 20 September 1919.
85.
See Manchester Guardian, 19 September 1919.
86.
Ibid.
87.
Manchester Guardian, 22 September 1919.
88.
See Manchester Evening News, 30 September 1919.
89.
Manchester Guardian, 12 September 1919.
90.
See Manchester Guardian, 13 September 1919.
91.
The turnout at the by-election was 67.5% compared to 62.9% in 1918, when the constituency had the highest turnout of any Manchester seat. The 1919 by-election represented a low turnout when compared to most post-war contests; in the 1922 general election it increased by 10%.
92.
See Manchester Guardian, 13 September 1919.
93.
See Manchester Guardian, 8 October 1919.
94.
See Manchester Guardian, 21 October 1919.
95.
Ibid.
96.
See Manchester Guardian, 3 February 1922.
97.
Manchester Guardian, 4 February 1922.
98.
The Geddes Report advocated government savings of £87 million. A large proportion of the savings were to be made from cuts in social services and education. One recommendation was to increase the school starting age to six.
99.
The Geddes Committee proposed a five shilling (a week) reduction in pensions.
100.
Manchester Guardian, 14 February 1922.
101.
Manchester Guardian, 13 February 1922.
102.
Manchester Guardian, 16 February 1922.
103.
See Manchester Guardian, 3 February 1922.
104.
See Manchester Guardian, 16 February 1922.
105.
Ibid.
106.
Manchester Guardian, 18 February 1922.
107.
Ibid.
108.
See Manchester Guardian, 8 February 1922.
109.
Manchester Guardian, 7 February 1922.
110.
Manchester Guardian, 15 February 1922.
111.
Manchester Guardian report, 10 February 1922.
112.
See Manchester Guardian, 20 February 1922.
113.
Ibid.
114.
Ibid.

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Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
Samantha Wolstencroft

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Wolstencroft, S. (2018). The Impact of War and the Collapse of the Progressive Alliance: Political Change in Manchester, 1918–1922. In: The Progressive Alliance and the Rise of Labour, 1903-1922. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75744-5_7

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75744-5_7
Published: 15 May 2018
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-75743-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-75744-5
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