"Asquith and the Liberals were solely responsible for the failure to solve the crisis over the Third Home Rule Bill by September 1914". How far would you agree with this statement?

Furthermore, whilst Asquith waited about, Ulster was only getting stronger. The success of extra-parliamentary opposition from Unionists - such as: “Ulster Day” in September 1912 and the Solemn League and the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force in 1913 - was boosted by an overflow Ulster Unionists propaganda across Great Britain. Ulster now became the main issue in British politics. “It was no longer a question of our coercing Ulster”, said one Liberal, “it was a question of our preventing Ulster from coercing us”. The Curragh Incident and the formation of the Irish Volunteers worsened the situation, as did the Larne gun-running. There was secret talks between Asquith and Bonar Law at the end of 1913 to see if an agreed settlement was possible. Asquith also spoke to Carson on 16th December and offered him “Home Rule within Home Rule”. Carson however now wanted 6 counties to be excluded, instead of 4 – like it was in 1912. Asquith rejected this as he struggled to get Redmond to accept 4 counties to be excluded on a temporary measure, never mind 6. On the 25th May 1914 the Third Home Rule Bill was introduced and an agreement for Ulster was yet achieved and ironically, it was the outbreak of the First World War which “saved” Asquith and his government from the consequences of their failing over Home Rule.

Although, in defence to Asquith and the Liberal government, they were facing other serious crisis’ in mainland Britain which diverted their attention, such as the suffragette campaign, industrial strife and the constitutional crisis. When the suffragettes were campaigning daily –  policies, such as the Cat and Mouse Act had to be introduced, and other acts had to be set up to handle the social problems arising in England – which were also dividing English MPs. George Dangerfield also believes the Liberal Party were “in terminal decline by 1909”.  They could not possibly put all their efforts into trying to solve Home Rule. Other governments in the past tried and failed and they never even had these additional pressures on them. The Home Rule question was certainly a hard one to solve, and the Liberal government did try to get a solution to satisfy everyone.

In addition, Asquith and the Liberals also had the Conservatives rejecting everything they did. The Conservatives were out to seek revenge on the Liberals after the failure they experienced with the budget of 1909 and the passing of the Parliament Act 1911. By 1912, their new leader, Bonar Law was determined to “push boundaries of constitutional politics”, believes Rees, “in order to prevent Home Rule” – essentially, also to make life difficult for the Liberals. By the summer of 1914, the words and actions of the Conservatives, along with their Ulster and Southern Unionists allies, had brought Britain to the brink of civil war. For example, at Blenheim Place in July 1912, Law threatened the use of force to wreck Home Rule. This new style of verbal menace, military disaffection and pressure on the King to intervene certainly heated the political atmosphere of the period 1911-1914 and they have a role to play in why the crisis was yet solved by September 1914 as they made the Unionists such as Carson to believe they could get more than four counties. Regarding Bonar Laws attentions many believe, such as Adams that “the Conservative leader’s primary desire was to bring an election on the question of Home Rule”, as he believed the Liberals didn’t have the mandate for it and so the Conservatives could eject the Liberals from office.

In conclusion, I agree with the statement to an extend that Asquith and the Liberals were responsible for the failure to solve the Home Rule Crisis, due to Asquith’s “wait and see” policy as the 1912 opportunity was perfect and it would have also spilt the Conservatives and the Unionists believes Jackson – thus the Liberals would have been strengthened. But, there are also other and important reasons in why the Home Rule Crisis wasn’t solved, such as Ulster Unionists resistance and their unwillingness to compromise, as well as the new style of approach the Conservatives took and how they played the “Orange Card” (Churchill). So too did the arms race with Germany, as it distracted the Conservatives from solving the Crisis by September 1914, as they were heading into war and other matters had to be shelved for now.