the constitutional crisis 1909-1911 Flashcards
(12 cards)
Q: What was the main cause of the 1909–1910 constitutional crisis?
A: The House of Lords vetoed the Liberal government’s “People’s Budget,” breaking the convention of not interfering with money bills.
Q: Why did the House of Lords reject the 1909 People’s Budget?
A: They saw it as a personal attack and an attempt to redistribute wealth through taxation.
Q: What was the immediate consequence of the Lords vetoing the budget in 1909?
A: The Liberal government had no legal authority to collect taxes and called a general election in January 1910.
Q: What were the results of the January 1910 general election?
A: Liberals: 275, Unionists: 273, Irish Nationalists: 82, Labour: 40.
Q: How did the January 1910 election affect Liberal power in Parliament?
A: They lost their large majority and had to rely on Irish Nationalists for support.
Q: What did the Irish Nationalists demand in return for supporting the Liberals?
A: They wanted Home Rule for Ireland.
Q: What were the main proposals of the 1910 Parliament Bill?
A: Limit Lords’ veto on money bills, introduce a 2-year suspensory veto, and reduce the maximum term of Parliament from 7 to 5 years.
Q: Why was it difficult to pass the Parliament Bill in 1910?
A: The House of Lords had to pass the bill that would reduce its own powers.
Q: What role did the monarchy play in the 1910–1911 crisis?
A: King Edward VII and later King George V were involved; Edward VII promised to create Liberal peers, but George V sought compromise.
Q: What was the outcome of the December 1910 general election?
A: Results were similar to January, and the Liberals retained power with support from Labour and Irish Nationalists.
Q: What happened on 11 August 1911 regarding the Parliament Bill?
A: The House of Lords passed the bill to avoid being swamped by newly created Liberal peers.
Q: What were the long-term effects of the constitutional crisis?
A: Lords lost the power to veto Commons legislation permanently, power shifted to the Commons, and the British constitution became more democratic.
