Why did the Liberals fail to pass Home Rule

1

• The Liberals lacked the commitment before 1909
  because
• the party had suffered a significant general
  election loss in 1895 and the party had split
  into two over the issue in 1893
• the party had to re - unite and Home Rule was not
  the issue upon which to win a general election
• the party was committed to the principle but they
  had a greater social reform agenda to follow.
  Heightened by the appointment of Asquith as PM in
  1908

• The General Public in mainland Britain was not
  generally supportive of Home Rule because
• there were other wider social issues which needed
  addressing e.g. poverty and national efficiency
• over 2 million in 1914 signed the British
  Covenant against Home Rule

The House of Lords still had dominance over the
direction of Liberal policies. The Liberals had
failed to push through many reforms before 1909
e.g. Plural Voting and the Licensing
Bills. Conservative interests and allegiances to
Ireland, especially Ulster were strong. They
would resist any Home Rule bills. Before 1911,
the Liberals were unable to pass legislation
before the Parliament Act
Why did the Liberals fail to pass Home Rule ?

• After 1912 the Liberals were committed to Home
  Rule
• Asquiths policy of wait and see allowed the
  opposition to build up strength
• the Liberals failed to deal with Ulster,
  believing that they would eventually support Home
  Rule
• the Liberals lost the support of vital interests
  by failing to deal with the Ulster issue. They
  lost the support of the army following the
  Curragh mutiny

• The protestant communities of Ulster had created
  powerful forces which allowed them to resist Home
  Rule
• The Ulster Unionist Council had been created
• Edward Carson and James Craig organised
  opposition inside and outside parliament. The
  Covenant Day showed the strength of resistance
• The creation of the UVF strengthened by the
  successful gun - running of April 1914 revealed
  the ability of the protestant community to resist

• The Conservative organised democratic resistance
• Bonar Law argued in July 1912 that resistance was
  justified
• the Lords rejected the Home Rule bills in January
  and July 1913. They also rejected the Amending
  bill in July 1914. They also proposed their own
  ideas on permanently excluding Ulster