Liberals’ Rule
On the 100th Anniversary of the election of the Liberal government (1906-1914), I thought it would be interesting to note how bloody similar they were to New Labour’s term in office. It’s like living in a time warp, when its always 1908 (what a great year that was).
What’s similar is the policy areas they both decided to concentrate on, for example:
- Both won after the citizens got tired of an incompetent Tory government. In the Liberal’s case it wasnt economic just the Tories ran an incompentent war (the major controversy was over detainment camps used in Boer war- and many people still say Hitler invented them! Nope it was British!)
- The national wage
- Pensions (well New Labour hasn’t quite solved this one yet)
- House of Lords reform- The famous Liberal budget crisis and 1911 Parliament act that put those Lords in thier place, shame New Labour havent quite got this one sorted out yet.
- War- Both governments took us to into a war that split Europe (ok one of them was a World War, the other one’s not quite there yet).
- Sick pay and Labour Exchange were created- Labour’s done a lot in this area, forcing the sick to work etc.
- Trade Unions- whereas the Liberals strengthened and protected them (1906 Trade Disputes Act) Labour have reduced them to crying babies.
I’d live in the 1900s any day!