Ditchers: Difference between revisions
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The '''Ditchers''' were so |
The '''Ditchers''' or '''Diehards''' were groupings of British nobility, so called because they were prepared to engage in a "last-ditch" stand against the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] [[government]]'s [[Parliament Act 1911|reforms]] to the [[Constitution of the United Kingdom|constitution]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Letter to Lord Willoughby de Broke|url=http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/houseoflords/house-of-lords-reform/from-the-collections/from-the-parliamentary-collections-the-parliament-act/max-tilney-letter/|publisher=www.parliament.uk|accessdate=26 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Dennis|first=Alfred L. P.|title=The Parliament Act of 1911, II|journal=The American Political Science Review|date=August 1912|volume=6|issue=3|pages=386–408|jstor=1944526|doi=10.2307/1944526|s2cid=147091660 }}</ref> |
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"Lloyd George knew my father, |
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my father knew Lloyd George." A satirical reference to the peers that he would create. |
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==History== |
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Many of the "Last Ditchers" were Tory farmers and landowners, who refused to surrender the political power that went with social superiority. But the aristocracy had been in decline, since the inexorable rise of business and merchant middle-class [[capitalists]] during the [[Edwardian era]]. Their entry in the Commons, and enfranchisement of the working-classes in the 1884-5 reform acts had already marked a significant shift of power. [[Government]] interventionism from devolution was threatening stability without control over local finance. The Naval Arms "Dreadnought" Race was very costly: it had done nothing to prevent world war by 1914, and Irish terrorism since 1881. However the Government of Ireland Bill was delayed its enactment in August 1914, the very day war broke out. |
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=== Background === |
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In 1910, [[Liberal Party (United Kingdom)|Liberal]] [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[H. H. Asquith]] introduced the [[Parliament Act 1911|Parliament Bill]], which would have removed the [[House of Lords]]' right to permanently block Bills coming up from the [[House of Commons]]. The Bill repeatedly passed the Commons by a large majority, but remained stalled in the House of Lords, which was largely made up of [[Conservative Party (United Kingdom)|Conservatives]] and had no intention of seeing its powers reduced. |
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In order to force through the passage of the bill, Asquith asked King [[George V]] to create enough Liberal [[Hereditary peer|peers]] to give supporters of the draft law a majority in the House of Lords. The King agreed, but stated he would have done only if the Lords rejected the Bill another time. In the aftermath of this new announcement, those who had until then opposed the bill divided in two factions: the hedgers and the ditchers or die-hards. |
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=== Hedgers === |
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Those who reluctantly decided to vote for Asquith's proposal were called "hedgers", a term used to define investors who "play it safe" and avoid risk as much as possible. They believed that voting for the bill (even though they did not support it) was worth if it meant avoiding the mass appointment of Liberal peers, which would have caused Conservative peers to lose any semblance political influence, and turn the upper chamber into [[rubber stamp]] for Liberal governments. They reasoned that the bill was going to pass regardless of whether they would have voted in favour or against: had the bill been voted down by the Lords, the Government would have simply followed through on its threat and appointed enough Liberal peers to pass it. |
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=== Ditchers === |
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Those who decided to take a principled stand against the Bill, feeling unable to vote for something they did not truly support, were called "last ditchers" or "die-hards". This latter category was mostly made up of [[Tory]] farmers, landowners, and [[aristocracy]], who were staunchly opposed to all social 'equalitarian' reforms limiting the privileges of the Nobility. |
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=== Passage of the bill === |
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The Parliament Bill passed in the House of Lords on 11 August 1911 with 131 votes in favor and 114 against; it was enacted as the [[Parliament Act 1911]] shortly thereafter. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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* Phillips, Gregory D., ''The Diehards - Aristocratic Society and Politics in Edwardian England'', Harvard University Press and London, England, 1979. {{ISBN|0-674-20555-3}} |
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[[Category:Political history of the United Kingdom]] |
[[Category:Political history of the United Kingdom]] |
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Latest revision as of 23:05, 4 March 2024
The Ditchers or Diehards were groupings of British nobility, so called because they were prepared to engage in a "last-ditch" stand against the Liberal government's reforms to the constitution.[1][2]
History
[edit]Background
[edit]In 1910, Liberal Prime Minister H. H. Asquith introduced the Parliament Bill, which would have removed the House of Lords' right to permanently block Bills coming up from the House of Commons. The Bill repeatedly passed the Commons by a large majority, but remained stalled in the House of Lords, which was largely made up of Conservatives and had no intention of seeing its powers reduced.
In order to force through the passage of the bill, Asquith asked King George V to create enough Liberal peers to give supporters of the draft law a majority in the House of Lords. The King agreed, but stated he would have done only if the Lords rejected the Bill another time. In the aftermath of this new announcement, those who had until then opposed the bill divided in two factions: the hedgers and the ditchers or die-hards.
Hedgers
[edit]Those who reluctantly decided to vote for Asquith's proposal were called "hedgers", a term used to define investors who "play it safe" and avoid risk as much as possible. They believed that voting for the bill (even though they did not support it) was worth if it meant avoiding the mass appointment of Liberal peers, which would have caused Conservative peers to lose any semblance political influence, and turn the upper chamber into rubber stamp for Liberal governments. They reasoned that the bill was going to pass regardless of whether they would have voted in favour or against: had the bill been voted down by the Lords, the Government would have simply followed through on its threat and appointed enough Liberal peers to pass it.
Ditchers
[edit]Those who decided to take a principled stand against the Bill, feeling unable to vote for something they did not truly support, were called "last ditchers" or "die-hards". This latter category was mostly made up of Tory farmers, landowners, and aristocracy, who were staunchly opposed to all social 'equalitarian' reforms limiting the privileges of the Nobility.
Passage of the bill
[edit]The Parliament Bill passed in the House of Lords on 11 August 1911 with 131 votes in favor and 114 against; it was enacted as the Parliament Act 1911 shortly thereafter.
References
[edit]- ^ "Letter to Lord Willoughby de Broke". www.parliament.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ Dennis, Alfred L. P. (August 1912). "The Parliament Act of 1911, II". The American Political Science Review. 6 (3): 386–408. doi:10.2307/1944526. JSTOR 1944526. S2CID 147091660.
- Phillips, Gregory D., The Diehards - Aristocratic Society and Politics in Edwardian England, Harvard University Press and London, England, 1979. ISBN 0-674-20555-3