How far did the labour party show they were fit to Govern?

HOW FAR DID THE LABOUR PARTY SHOW THEY WERE FIT TO GOVERN?

The first labour government came to power

as a freakish accident and some incompetence from the conservatives .The conservative prime minister Stanley Baldwin hoped to gain a mandate from the electorate to make it difficult for foreign traders to trade in Britain. However Baldwin did not gain his mandate and consequently lost the general election he had called. The labour party did not have a majority but they did have the support of the liberals who were also against the conservative’s idea.

The Labour Party had only been formed in 1900 and unlike the conservatives or the liberals had no experience of being in government. They did not have a majority and were to be opposed on various issues in the commons by the opposition. The new government had many plans for the country and their own inner desire to make themselves more inclusive to the other classes and electro able in the future. Many thought they would change Britain into a communist state but some even feared they would nationalise women. The lack of experience by Ramsay Macdonald’s cabinet alarmed him and the countries press. During the 1920s there were many political and social problems in Britain and in Europe. This made it difficult to govern and the other factor was his lack of majority in the House of Commons. The labour government during this period did achieve something and unlike the sceptics did not radically change Britain the way some thought. They decided to increase the old age pension and unemployment benefit, which socially was good for the country at the time. State scholarship to the universities was revived, which now allowed some people to go to university.

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The main problem in Britain at this time was the lack of quality housing. The government introduced a subsidy that contributed greatly to the building of the housing. The housing scheme was called Wheatley’s Housing Act. The scheme had a great affect as it built 500.000 houses; the houses were to be rented and were to provide good quality housing for the next 40 years. ...

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The labour government were quite influential in foreign policy. The Dawes plan was then set up. This contained various items that were going to improve international relations with Germany and Russia. The first of MacDonald’s plans were to help the Germans pay the reparations back to the allies. The second plan was to improve relations with the Soviets. For this he gained huge acrimony from the conservatives and the press, for some this had vindicated their fears of the labour party and their policies, but in all truthfulness this never came to fruition.

In reality the labour government hadn’t done half what was expected. They had tried to do a good job but in reality had failed. The lack of experience had shown in certain areas they did achieve some social aims and were successful on foreign policy, but scandal, the problem with industries, the problem with unemployment and the reliance on the liberals in the commons was to tell. The huge social divide that was evident among the country was to tell and the labour parties own incompetence was to be a huge factor in their eventual demise in 1924. They had achieved experience of governing but did not make themselves electroble to the electorate. The ensuing election showed the labour party had to be removed from power, but what it also showed was that if like Lloyd George between 1918-22 if you do not have majority in the commons and rely on another party you will suffer as a result. The reality had been that the labour government had failed to a certain degree but their stay in government did ensure their future as the second party and the decline of the liberals. The new era in politics was to begin.

To sum up, the labour party did not have the required experience to govern a country at a time when British politics was erratic and not at all. stable The economic problems faced by McDonald were too much for a party who had come to power as a freakish accident. The other solutions for this labour party were ignored and they were never too extreme or too light on any issue and did not have the required knowledge in dealing with major issues which in all truthfulness should of never have been allowed to of dealt with in the first place. The labour party did achieve some minor social reforms but were never as affective as some radicals would of liked and like some conservatives had feared. Labour may have lost the ensuing election but in years to come the first labour governments reign was to prove a success as it made them a future alternative to the conservatives. The Question “How did labour show they were fit to govern” is a difficult question. Some conservatives would say it was a shambles and some would of believed under all the circumstances they did a average to satisfactory job in attempting to maintain the economy, keep the trade unions in line, create housing, deal with foreign policy and create and expand social reforms. This was in truthfulness a shambolic government who were full of effort but could not produce the goods thanks to a lack of experience and no how. The tasks they faced were major and if it hadn’t have been for Stanley Baldwin calling and unnecessary election the labour party would not of had the opportunity to govern. I believe however this event created a whole new era in British politics.

BY CHRISTIAN WEAVER.