UK National Government

In the United Kingdom the term National Government is in an abstract sense used to refer to a coalition of some or all major political parties. In a historical sense it usually refers primarily to the governments of Ramsay MacDonald, Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain which held office from 1931 until 1940.

MacDonald's National Government 1931-1935

After the election the Cabinet reverted to its normal size, but the twenty positions were not at all in proportion to the individual party strengths in the House of Commons. Positions were allocated as follows:

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• Ramsay MacDonald - Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the House of Commons - National Labour
• Lord Sankey - Lord Chancellor - National Labour
• Stanley Baldwin - Lord President of the Council - Conservative
• Lord Snowden - Lord Privy Seal - National Labour
• Neville Chamberlain - Chancellor of the Exchequer - Conservative
• Sir Herbert Samuel - Home Secretary - Liberal
• Sir John Simon - Foreign Secretary - Liberal National
• Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister - Secretary of State for the Colonies - Conservative
• James Henry Thomas - Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs - National Labour
• Lord Hailsham - Secretary of State for War and Leader of the House of Lords - Conservative
• Sir Samuel Hoare - Secretary of State for India - Conservative
• Lord Londonderry - Secretary of State for Air - Conservative
• Sir Archibald Sinclair - Secretary of State for Scotland - Liberal
• Sir B. Eyres-Monsell - First Lord of the Admiralty - Conservative
• Walter Runciman - President of the Board of Trade - Liberal National
• Sir John Gilmour - Minister of Agriculture - Conservative
• Sir Donald Maclean - President of the Board of Education - Liberal
• Sir Henry Betterton - Minister of Labour - Conservative
• Sir E. Hilton-Young - Minister of Health - Conservative
• William Ormsby-Gore - First Commissioner of Works - Conservative

Although the Conservatives had a bare majority of 11 Conservatives to 9 non-Conservatives, they held comparatively few of the most important jobs. The two groups of Liberals were also disbalanced, with the official Liberals holding one more seat than the National Liberals, despite the Parliamentary position being reversed. This balance was to cause tensions, particularly as the Diehard wing of the Conservative party felt unrepresented (see below).

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The government entered protracted wrangling over whether or not to introduce tariffs. Both the Liberals and Snowden found this particularly difficult to accept, but were in a heavy minority. However both MacDonald and Baldwin wished to maintain the multi-party nature of the Government. On the suggestion of Hailsham it was agreed to suspend the principle of Collective Responsibility and allow the Liberals to oppose the introduction of tariffs whilst remaining in government. This would hold for some months.

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In 1932 Sir Donald Maclean died. MacDonald came under pressure not to merely appoint another Liberal, particularly as it was felt they would be overrepresented, and so instead appointed the Conservative Lord Irwin (later Lord Halifax). Further tensions emerged over the Ottawa Agreement which set up a series of tariff agreements within the British Empire and the remaining Liberals and Snowden resigned their ministerial posts, though continued to support the government from the backbenches for another year. MacDonald considered resigning as well and allowing a party government to take office but was persuaded to remain, even though his health was now in decline. In domestic politics he increasingly allowed Baldwin to give a lead, but in foreign affairs the main direction was determined by MacDonald and Simon.

Related Topics:
1932 - Lord Irwin - Ottawa Agreement - British Empire

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The most prominent policy of the National Government in the early 1930s was the proposal to introduce Indian Home Rule, a measure that was fiercely opposed by the Diehard wing of the Conservative party, with Winston Churchill taking a lead amongst the opponents. The bill was fiercely opposed but eventually passed in 1935.

Related Topics:
1930s - Indian Home Rule - Diehard - Winston Churchill - 1935

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