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.

The Caretaker government of 1945

In May 1945, following the defeat of Germany the coalition government broke up and Churchill formed a new administration, comprised of Conservatives, Liberal Nationals and various non-party individuals who had been previously appointed to Ministerial posts. However significantly there were no Liberal Nationals in the Cabinet. This government nevertheless used the title National Government and could be seen as the heir to the 1930s governments, even though the personnel were very different. The government fought the 1945 general election as a National Government but lost. Subsequently the remnants of the coalition became a single Conservative party, most notably in 1947 when the Liberal Nationals formally merged with them.

Related Topics:
May - 1945 - 1930s - 1945 general election - 1947

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