The 1929 Election

The 1929 Election

1. The Party Campaigns

   • Conservative Party
     • Safety First
       • No new radical ideas to combat unemployment
     • Baldwin was a trusted leader
   • Labour Party
     • Believed their credibility lay in their successful 1924 government
       • Ramsay MacDonald also proved to be a trusted leader
         • Not under control of the Trade Unions
     • Election manifesto
       • Not a programme of action
         • Statement of general principals
           • Would reorganise industry in the interest of all
             • Socialist Commonwealth
   • Liberal Party
     • Lloyd George had reorganised the party
       • There was hope they would do well
       • £40,000 of his own private funds helped to fight the election
     • Worked with economists like Keynes
       • Resulted in the programme 'We Can Conquer Unemployment'
         • The Liberals came up with radical but non-socialist strategies for tackling unemployment
           • Public Works schemes

2. Results

   • Labour won a majority of seats in the HoC
     • First time
       • Represents when Labour replaced Liberals as the main opponent of the Conservatives
         • Start of the two party system of Labour and Conservatives
     • Seats and Vote
       • 288
       • 37.1%
   • Conservatives
     • Seats
       • 260
     • Vote
       • 38.2%
     • Baldwin
       • Clear vote against Conservatives
         • Resigned in 1929
   • Liberals
     • Seats
       • 59
     • Vote
       • 23.4%
     • First Past the Post
       • The Liberals actually polled over 5 mil votes
         • However due to 'first past the post' system they won very few seats

3. Why Labour won

   • MacDonalds policies
     • Constitutional and moderate
       • Convinced voters he could be trusted
   • Lack of Conservative appeal
     • 'Safety First'
       • Little threat perceived at the time
   • Unemployment
     • Felt this would not be solved with the same government and policies