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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 October 2009
Although electoral defeat and loss of office can never be a welcome experience, in June 1929 the pain of Ansten Chamberlain's transition to the Opposition benches was temporarily alleviated by a sense of personal relief at his continued presence in the House of Commons at all. After the 1924 election he had confessed that the position in his West Birmingham constituency made him ‘very anxious’. Predicting that ‘it will be a suffer fight next time’ he had thus resolved to ‘try somehow to see more of them’. Four and a half years at the Foreign Office did nothing to help him redeem that pledge. By 1929 Chamberlain confronted not only an increasingly difficult situation in West Birmingham where the slums and poverty had given him cause to wonder at a Conservative victory in the past, but also the general electoral disillusion with the Baldwin's government's promise of ‘Safety First’ and their failure to revive the economy. Although never an active or particularly diligent constituency MP, in 1929 Chamberlain almost fell victim to a more general decline in Conservative support within the West Midlands. Since 1886 the Conservatives had never lost more than one Birmingham seat. In 1929 Labour were in confident mood and took no less than six of the twelve seats. After the canvass returns, Chamberlain had warned his family to expect defeat and during the two counts he confessed himself to be ‘in a very philosophic mood’. In the event, he scraped in by just 43 votes in a seat held continuously by a Chamberlain for almost half a century.
1 Chamberlain, A. to Ivy, , 31 10 1924Google Scholar, AC6/1/587
2 Chamberlain, N. to Hilda, , 27 01 1917 and 20 09 1924Google Scholar, NC18/1/99, 452.
3 Kinnear, M., The British Voter: An Atlas and Survey Since 1885, (1968)Google Scholar. For an analysis of the trend and the explanation that this was largely because the younger generation ‘who knew not Joseph’ defected while older voters remained loyal to Conservatism see Rolf, K.W.D., ‘Tories, Tariffs and Elections. The West Midlands in English Politics 1918–1935’. (Cambridge D. Phil. 1974), 213–8Google Scholar.
4 Chamberlain, A. to Carnegie, Mary, 13 05 1929Google Scholar, AC4/1/1297; to Ida, , 6 06 1929Google Scholar, AC5/1/475.
5 Joseph Chamberlain sat for Birmingham from 1876 and for West Birmingham from 1885 until his death on 2 July 1914.
6 Chamberlain, N. to Ida, , 2 06 (mis-dated May) 1929Google Scholar, NC18/1/656.
7 Chamberlain, A. to Ida, , 25 06 1929Google Scholar, AC5/1/476.
8 His brother shared this belief. See Chamberlain, N. to Hilda, , 13 10 1929Google Scholar, NC18/1/672.
9 Chamberlain, N. to Ida, , 13 07 1929Google Scholar, NC18/1/661; Gretton, to Linlithgow, , 10 07 1929Google Scholar, Hopetoun MSS 1002; Amery, L.S., My Political Life, II, 508–9Google Scholar.
10 Diary, Bridgeman, 07 1930Google Scholar, Bridgeman MSS II fol.219.
11 For Baldwin's own recognition of this fact see Diary, MacDonald, 7 05 1929Google Scholar, fol. 260 reporting Baldwin; Baldwin, to Balfour, , 11 11 1929Google Scholar, Whittingehame MSS 19; “The Second Labour Government”, n.d. Templewood MSS VI.2.
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13 Chamberlain, A. to Baldwin, , 25 06 1929Google Scholar, Baldwin MSS 164/28.
14 Lindsay, R. to Chamberlain, A., 17 06 1929Google Scholar, AC55/315.
15 Vansittart, , The Mist Procession, 372–3Google Scholar. For Lindsay's studied discourtesy to Lloyd when in England see Adams, C.F., Life of Lord Lloyd, 221–2Google Scholar; Charmley, J., Lord Lloyd and the Decline of the British Empire, 158–162.Google Scholar
16 For Henderson's speech see House of Commons Debates, 5 Series, 230 cols. 1637–46, 26 07 1929Google Scholar. For his discussion of the differences see CP 181(29), 13 June 1929, CAB 24/204.
17 Chamberlain, A. to Lindsay, , 17 06 1929Google Scholar, AC55/314; to Ida, , 1 08 1929Google Scholar, AC5/1/479. Chamberlain told his brother on 9 August 1929 he thought of moving Lloyd to East Africa where his organisational talents could be used to create an East African federation, NC 1/27/98.
18 Chamberlain, 's despatch of 28 05 1929Google Scholar (AC39/6/1) is quoted at length in Lloyd, Lord, Egypt Since Cramer, II, 293–6Google Scholar.
19 Lloyd, to Chamberlain, , 17 06 1929Google Scholar, AC39/6/1; Henderson, to Chamberlain, A., 24 06 1929Google Scholar, AC38/3/87. Lloyd remained unrepentant to the end. See Lloyd, to Loraine, , 29 07 1929Google Scholar, Waterfield, G., Professional Diplomat: Sir Percy Loraine of Kirkharle 1880–1961, (1973), 149.Google Scholar
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21 Adams, C. F., Life of Lord Lloyd, 219–20, 222.Google Scholar
22 Carlton, D., MacDonald versus Henderson: The Foreign Policy of the Second Labour Government, (1970), 287Google Scholar. Also Dalton, H., Call Back Yesterday, 226Google Scholar; Charmley, J., Lord Lloyd and the Fall of the British Empire, 167Google Scholar; Wrigley, C., Arthur Henderson, 171Google Scholar. Curiously, Dutton also notes him ‘conspicuous by his absence’, Austen Chamberlain, 168Google Scholar. For his prior plans see Chamberlain, A. to Ida, , 25 06 1929Google Scholar, AC5/1/476.
23 For the declaration and Irwin's motives see Gopal, S., The Viceroyalty of Lord Irwin, (Oxford, 1957)Google Scholar: Peele, G. R., ‘A Note on the Irwin Declaration’, Journal of Imperial & Commonwealth History, 05 1973.Google Scholar
24 Chamberlain, A. to Hilda, and Ida, , 6 and 11 11 1929Google Scholar, AC5/1/485–6. In some quarters this revived old suspicions of resurgent coalitionist sympathies. See Hoare, to Irwin, , 13 11 1929Google Scholar, Gilbert, M., Winston S. Churchill, V. Companion 2, 111Google Scholar; Davidson, to Irwin, , 9 11 1929Google Scholar, James, R.R., Memoirs of a Conservative, 308.Google Scholar
25 Chamberlain, A. to Hilda, , 14 06 1930Google Scholar, AC5/1/504. Dutton does not consider it surprising, Austen Chamberlain, 287.Google Scholar
26 Earl, of Birkenhead, , Halifax: The Life of Lord Halifax, (1965), 288Google Scholar. For other criticism as ‘very wooden and stupid’ on India see Lane-Fox, George to Irwin, , 21 08 1930Google Scholar, Gilbert, M., Winston S. Churchill, V. Companion 2, 180.Google Scholar
27 Chamberlain, A. to Hoare, , 9 09 1930Google Scholar, AC22/3/22.
28 Chamberlain, A. to Ida, , 7 07 1930Google Scholar, AC5/1/508.
29 Salisbury, to Baldwin, , 4 08 1930Google Scholar and Chamberlain, to Baldwin, 11 08 1930Google Scholar, Baldwin MSS 104/23–26, 30.
30 Chamberlain, N. to Ida, , 22 10 1929Google Scholar, NC18/1/673.
31 Diary, Bayford, 7 02 1930Google Scholar. Also Steel-Maitland, to Baldwin, , 28 01 1930Google Scholar, Steel-Maitland MSS GD 193/120/3(3); Gwynne, to Northumberland, , 18 12 1929Google Scholar, Gwynne MSS 21.
33 Elibank, ‘Notes re. Empire Free Trade’ entry for 29 03 1930Google Scholar, Elibank MSS GD 32/25/69 fol. 43.
33 Chamberlain, A. to Ida, , 4 08 1930Google Scholar, AC5/1/510.
34 Chamberlain, A. to Carnegie, Mary, 9 10 1930Google Scholar, AC4/1/1302; to Chamberlain, N., 9 10 1930Google Scholar, AC39/2/40.
35 Chamberlain, N. to a sister, 21 09 1930Google Scholar, NC18/1/742. For the policy see Chamberlain, Neville at Crystal Palace, The Times, 22 09 and to Amery 30 09 1930Google Scholar, NC7/2/46.
36 Chamberlain, N. to Chamberlain, A., 8 and 10 10 1930Google Scholar and Austen, 's reply, 9 10 1930Google Scholar AC39/2/39, 40 and AC58/75.
37 Chamberlain, N. to Ida, , 11 10 1930Google Scholar, NC18/1/712.
38 Diary, Amery, 26 02 1931Google Scholar; Diary, Neville Chamberlain, 23 02 1931Google Scholar; Derby, to Chamberlain, N., 25 02 1931Google Scholar, NC8/10/21; Diary, Bridgeman, 20 02 1931Google Scholar, Bridgeman MSS II, fol.229.
39 Diary, Bridgeman, 1 03 1931Google Scholar, Bridgeman MSS II, fbl.229.
40 Chamberlain, N. to Hilda, , 25 05 1931Google Scholar, NC18/1/739.
41 Diary, Amery, 5, 6, 7 03 1931Google Scholar, Barnes, J. and Nicholson, D., The Empire at Bay, 152.Google Scholar
42 Diary, Neville Chamberlain, 11 03 1931Google Scholar; Diary, Amery, 7 and 11 03 1931Google Scholar, The Empire at Bay, 152–3Google Scholar.
43 Beaverbrook, to Brisbane, , 3 03 1931Google Scholar, Beaverbrook MSS C/64. For the byelection see Cook, C. and Ramsden, J., By-elections in British Politics, (1973)Google Scholar Chapter 4.
44 In 1918 women over 30 were given the vote. In 1928 with the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act the government extended the franchise to women over 21 – popularly known as the ‘Flapper vote’.
45 Neville Chamberlain spoke to the Empire Industries Association early in July in favour of protection, denying the manifesto limitations any longer applied. On 9 July Amery launched a long-suppressed tirade against Churchill's obstruction of Safeguarding. Beaverbrook launched his Empire Crusade with ‘Who is for the Empire?’ Sunday Express, 30 06 1929.Google Scholar
46 On 6 August the draft agreement was published. Only slightly more generous to Egypt than Chamberlain's, it ended the occupation of Cairo and Alexandria, withdrew British troops to the Canal and liquidated Capitulations. Rejected by new Wafd government in December 1929.
47 The First Hague Conference, 6–28 August 1929 finally reduced German reparation payments in accordance with the Young Report, June 1929. The Rhineland would also be evacuated five years ahead of the date fixed at Versailles.
48 On 31 October 1929 the Viceroy, Lord Irwin (formerly Edward Wood) had declared that it was ‘implicit in the Declaration of 1917, that the natural issue of India's constitutional progress is the attainment of Dominion status’.
49 William Wedgwood Benn (1877–1960). Liberal MP for Tower Hamlets (St. George's) 1906–18 and Leith 1918–27; Labour MP for Aberdeen (North) 1928–31; Manchester (Gorton) 1937–41. Whip 1910–15; Secretary of State for India 1929–31; Secretary for Air 1945–46. Created Viscount Stansgate 1942.
50 Charles Alfred Cripps (1852–1941). Conservative MP for Stroud 1895–1900; S.E. Lancs (Stretford) 1901–6 and Wycombe 1910–14. Lord President 1924 and June-August 1931. British representative at League of Nations Council 1924. Created Kt. 1908 and Baron Parmoor 1914.
51 Timothy Michael Healy (1855–1931) Irish Nationalist MP for Wexford 1880–83; Monaghan 1883–5; S. Derry 1885–6; N. Longford 1887–92; Louth N. 1892–December 1910; N.E. Cork July 1911–18. Governor-General of Irish Free State 1922–28.
52 The phrase ‘B.M.G., Balfour Must Go’ began to circulate after the publication of an article critical of his leadership by Leo Maxse in the National Review in 09 1911.Google Scholar
53 Neville Chamberlain was absent on a visit to Kenya from 11 December 1929 until 8 March 1930.
54 Salisbury's letter to the Editor, The Times, 25 03 1930Google Scholar was strongly free trade in tone and dismissive of Beaverbrook's campaign. It briefly upset attempts to restore relations with Beaverbrook.
55 At Hotel Cecil on 4 March 1930 Baldwin's speech publicly announced the referendum on food taxes agreed with Beaverbrook the day before and was widely welcomed for restoring Conservative unity.
56 Mosley resigned from the government on 20 May after Cabinet rejection of his memorandum advocating public works to relieve unemployment. His attempts to rally support in the PLP on 22 May received only 29 votes.
57 John Colin Campbell Davidson (1889–1970) Conservative MP for Hemel Hempstead, 1920–23, 1924–37. PPS to Bonar Law 1920–21; 1922–23; to Baldwin 1921–22. Chancellor Duchy of Lancaster 1923–4. 1931–7; Financial Secretary to Admiralty 1924–6; Conservative Party Chairman 1926–30. Created Kt. 1935 and Viscount Davidson 1937.
58 North Norfolk by-election 9 July 1930. Lady Noel-Buxton, the wife of the former candidate retained the seat for Labour but on a reduced majority of only 179. The Conservative candidate renounced the official party policy on food taxes and increased his vote by 2,000.
59 William Graham (1887–1932). Labour MP for Edinburgh Central 1918–31; Financial Secretary to Treasury, 1924; President Board of Trade 1929–31.
60 George Lambert (1866–1958) Liberal MP for S. Molton 1891–24, 1929–45 – a National Liberal from 1931. Civil Lord of Admiralty, 1905–15; Liberal Party Chairman 1919–21. Created Viscount Lambert, 1945.
61 Cmd. 3568–9 Report of the Indian Statutory Commission, (2 vols) Parliamentary Papers, (1929–1930) xi, 1, 443Google Scholar. Published in May – June 1930 said a federation, including the princely states, must be set up before responsible government could be granted. Seen by many to suggest indefinite postponement.
62 Caxton Hall meeting of Conservative MPs and candidates, 24 June 1930. Baldwin launched a scathing attack on the press Lords – particularly Rothermere.
63 The Bankers' manifesto of 4 July 1930 advocated sweeping extensions of Safeguarding legislation. The TUG Economic Committee also issued a report on 26 June calling for the development of Imperial economic relations but was divided on tariffs.
64 Herbert Stanley Morrison (1888–1965) Labour MP for Hackney South 1923–4, 1929–31, 1935–45; Lewisham East 1945–50; Lewisham South 1950–59. Minister of Transport 1929–31; Minister of Supply 1940; Home Secretary 1940–45; Lord President 1945–51; Foreign Secretary 1951. Deputy Labour Leader 1945–55; member of L.C.C. 1922–45 and Leader 1934–40. Created Baron Morrison of Lambeth 1959.
65 To his Worcester Constituency Association on 2 August Baldwin defended the referendum at a time when virtually everyone else wished to abandon it in favour of the ‘free hand’.
66 In a speech at Crystal Palace on 21 September Neville Chamberlain had launched his own ‘unauthorised programme’ of drastic economy – particularly on unemployment insurance – an emergency tariff, a wheat quota and a free hand on other imports to improve Imperial trade relations. This was accepted by all but Churchill at the Business Committee on 7 October 1930.
67 Nicolaas Christian Havenga (1882–1957) South African attorney and politician. (Nationalist, then Afrikaner then Nationalist again). MP from 1915. Minister of Finance 1924–39, 1948–53. Leader of Afrikaner Party 1939–48 before rejoining Nationalists.
68 George William Forbes (1869–1947) New Zealand farmer and politician. Leader of Nationalist Party then United Party after 1928. Various offices 1928–31. Prime Minister 1930–31, 1931–35.
69 George Howard Ferguson (1870–1946) Canadian barrister and Conservative politician. MP Ontario 1905–30. Premier of Ontario 1923–30. Resigned to become Canadian High Commissioner in London 1930–35.
70 The Imperial Conference met in London from 1 October to 14 November 1930.
71 The R.101 airship crashed near Beauvais at the beginning of a trial flight to India on 5 October 1930 with 48 fatalities including Lord Thomson the Air Minister.
72 Richard Bedford Bennett (1870–1947) Canadian barrister, businessman and Conservative politician. MP Federal Parliament 1911–17, 1925–38. Minister of Justice 1921, 1926. Leader Conservative Party 1927–38; Prime Minister 1930–35. Created Viscount Bennett 1941.
73 On 8 October 1930 Bennett made his famous offer to all Empire countries of a preference in the Canadian market in exchange for a like preference in theirs. Snowden prevented the government from responding but Chamberlain drafted a statement endorsing Bennett's proposal thus disposing of the referendum and giving the Conservatives a ‘free hand’ when returned to office.
74 At another meeting at Caxton Hall on 30 October 1930, Baldwin faced his Conservative critics on the day of the South Paddington by-election. Although the byelection was lost by 914 votes, Gretton's hostile resolution was defeated by 462 to 116 votes.
75 Guy Molesworth Kindersley (1877–1956) Conservative MP for Hitchin 1923–31.
76 Edward Marjoribanks (1900–32) Conservative MP for Eastbourne 1929 until his suicide in April 1932. Stepson of Hailsham and co-author of life of Carson.
77 Francis Bingham Mildmay (1861–1947) Liberal MP for Totnes 1885–86, then Liberal Unionist 1886–1911 then Conservative 1911–22. Lord Lieut of Devon 1928–36. Created Baron Mildmay of Flete 1922.
78 An informal group of Conservative backbenchers with banking and industrial interests. Poorly regarded and generally very right-wing. Also known as the ‘Industrial Group’.
79 In their first ever victory in the seat, on 6 November 1930 the Conservatives won Shipley from Labour.
80 Part of a broader Conservative strategy to encourage the formation of a Liberal National group to oust the Labour Government.
81 On 11 February 1931 Snowden agreed to appoint a committee to recommend cuts in national expenditure (May Committee). Next day MacDonald apparently agreed to a scheme of national development while blurring the question of financing them Lloyd George welcomed the declaration and launched into a radical attack on the ‘money barons’ of the City to the satisfaction of the Labour left. House of Commons Debates, 5 Series, 248 cols. 725–33, 12 02 1931.Google Scholar
82 The Conservatives hoped to win East Islington on 19 February 1931 but the late intervention of a Crusade candidate pushed the Conservative into third place allowing Labour to win.
83 On 4 March the Viceroy and Gandhi signed an agreement in which the latter accepted the constitutional principles laid out at the Round Table Conference and agreed to attend when the sessions resumed. Civil disobedience was abandoned.
84 Sir Robert Topping, Conservative Principal Agent, produced a brutally uncompromising memorandum on 26 February 1931 reporting that support for Baldwin's leadership had declined so dramatically since October that even his most loyal personal followers now shared the widespread view that ‘in the interests of the party … the Leader should reconsider his position’.
85 At the Queen's Hall, Westminster on 17 March 1931, two days before the St George's poll Baldwin turned on the Press Lords and their ‘engines of propaganda’ declaring ‘what the proprietorship of these papers is aiming at is power, and power without responsibility – the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages’.
86 Chamberlain, A. to Carnegie, Mary, 18 11 1930Google Scholar, AC4/1/1304.
87 Diary, Neville Chamberlain, 24 07 1931Google Scholar. Also Chamberlain, A. to Hilda, , 11 07 1931Google Scholar, AC5/1/547.
88 Baldwin, to MacDonald, , 12 03 1931Google Scholar, Baldwin MSS 129/47. Hailsham was later added to balance the numbers.
89 For the Sub-Committee's work Roskill, S., Hankey, II, 538–40Google Scholar.
90 Sir Robert Leslie Craigie (1883–1959). Diplomat. Counsellor at F.O. 1928–34: Assistant Under-Secretary of State 1934–37; Ambassador to Japan 1937–41; UK representative on United Nations War Crimes Commission 1945–48.
91 On 4 June 1931 the Interim Report of the Royal Commission on Unemployment Insurance (Cmd. 3872) recommended increased contributions and reduced benefits.
92 Albert Victor Alexander (1885–1965) Labour MP for Sheffield Hillsborough 1922–31, 1935–50. Parliamentary Secretary to Board of Trade 1924; First Lord of Admiralty 1929–31, 1940–45, 1945–6; Minister without Portfolio 1946; Minister of Defence 1946–50; Chancellor Duchy of Lancaster 1950–51; Labour Leader in Lords 1955–64. Created Viscount Alexander of Hillsborough 1950, Earl 1963, K.G. 1964.
93 Thomas Shaw (1872–1938) Labour MP for Preston 1918–31. Minister of Labour 1924; Secretary for War 1929–31.
94 William Warrender MacKenzie (1860–1942) Secretary for Air 1930–31. Created Kt 1926, Baron Amulree 1929.
95 The need for applicants for uncovenanted benefit to prove they were ‘genuinely seeking work’ was abolished on 13 March 1930. Rapid growth in the number of claimants after the repeal of the test – particularly among married women – led to the Anomalies Act of July 1931 empowering the Minister to draft regulations governing claims from married women, seasonal, casual and short-time workers. Although bitterly contested by the ILP in Parliament it had a dramatic effect on these groups – particularly the former.
96 London Seven-Power Conference, 20–23 July 1931. After the failure of discussions in Paris on 18 July to provide a collective loan to Germany, Henderson hoped a fullscale international conference would produce a plan for financial relief for Germany. The Conference broke down because of French attempts to impose unacceptable political terms in return for financial aid.