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Explore how World War I reshaped Scottish politics, leading to the decline of the Liberal Party, rise of Labour, and resurgence of the Conservative and Unionist Party. Understand the impact on voter demographics, shifting alliances, and the political landscape post-war.
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ISSUE 4- How did the war affect Scottish politics? POST-WAR POLITICS
Post-war Scottish Politics What you need to learn: • The decline of the Liberal Party • The rise of the Labour Party. • The re-emergence of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.
The Decline of the Liberal Party • Before WW1 the Liberal party was the biggest party in Scotland, traditionally the party most working class and many middle class Scots voted for, yet by the 1920s it was in third place behind the Conservatives and Labour.
Reasons for the decline: • The Liberal party Split into factions during WW1 e.g. those that supported the new Prime Minister Lloyd George vs those loyal to the old Liberal Prime Minister HH Asquith. Most of the party supported the war, others didn’t. In the election of 1918 the “coupon election” Lloyd George Liberals ran against old style Asquith Liberals this was electoral suicide. • Liberal ideals –old fashioned ideas like Laissez-faire or Irish Home Rule did not appeal to voters anymore. • Disenchanted members- Liberal party members began to leave in disgust, without members party funding dropped rapidly and the party collapsed. • By 1924 the Liberals had only 8 MPs in Scotland, 5 of them in the Highlands and Islands, they were now a fringe party in Scotland.
The Rise of Labour • The new working class voter created after the extension of the franchise in 1918 to all men 21+ and most women 30+, removed the property qualification to vote. This new, poorer electorate, many of them returning soldiers were disenchanted with the Liberal party’s failed promises e.g. “a land fit for heroes” so switched to Labour. • Women voters were attracted to Labour’s pledges to help the family and improve housing.
Rise of Labour continued… • The Catholic vote, mainly second generation Irish immigrants, switched to Labour due to the Liberal Party’s handling of the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916. • The ILP was very significant, the myth of Red Clydeside was strong, and many working class people were impressed with the ILP’s local campaigns during the rent strikes or industrial disputes after the war e.g. gaining the 47 hour week. For many in the west of Scotland the ILP was the Labour Party. In the election of 1922 10 out of Glasgow’s 15 MPs were members of the ILP.
The Rise of the Conservatives After being in decline for so many years in Scotland the Conservatives began to grow again and rivalled Labour: • Red Clydeside scared many middle class voters and those in rural areas that a communist revolution might happen in Scotland’s cities. Only the Scottish Conservatives as the party of law and order seemed to stand against chaos. • Scottish newspapers e.g. the Sunday post exaggerated the left wing threat and most Scottish newspapers switched support to the Conservatives as did many of their readers.
Conservatives continued… • With the decline of the Liberals the only alternative to Labour & ILP socialism was the Conservatives. • In the 1920s and 1930s there was a reaction in Scotland to Irish immigration. As Irish Catholics supported Labour in reaction some Protestant Unionists supported the Conservatives. The Church of Scotland supported unionism and were conservative by nature. • In the election of 1918 the Conservatives gained 30% of the vote and by the second election of 1924 the Conservatives gained 38 seats, Labour 26 seats, the Conservatives were the biggest party in Scotland.
Conclusion: How had Scottish politics changed after 1918? WW1 saw a massive sea change in Scottish politics with the old certainties swept away: • The fall of the Liberals who had seemed so strong in 1906 compared to Labour and the Conservatives who had seemed weak. • At the same time the changes should not be exaggerated, there was a rise in radicalism/left wing politics but at no time did Red Clydeside threaten the establishment, there was no revolution. • Despite all its hard work and radicalism the ILP made few changes to Scottish society which was still plagued by high unemployment and poor housing till after WW2. • The rise of the Conservative Party also showed that not all Scots supported radical politics.
