National Government, 1931-45

• National govt = a coalition govt, especially one subordinating party differences to the national interest in a time of crisis - Britain under MacDonald in 1931-35
• In Oct 1929, the Wall St stock exchange in NY collapsed, leading to a global decline in trade and production
• Although all Labour Ministers and MPs disagreed with making cuts in spending (esp proposed cut of 10% on unemployment benefits), they were thought necessary to avoid economic catastrophe
• In 1931, MacDonald and Chancellor of the Exchequer Snowden, saw no option but to press ahead with cuts
• 24 August = MacDonald announced he would continue to serve as PM of a National Government, been persuaded by King George V, government instability would have been bad, Baldwin saw that Macdonald would bear the blame for unpopular economic legislation
• As MacDonald's health began to fail Baldwin effectively served as PM from 1931
• Baldwin got elected for the 3rd time in 1935, rocky start, plan to appease fascist Italy by giving them 2/3 of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) was largely unpopular and had to be abandoned and he had to pledge to work with League of Nations
• Baldwin was also under attack from all sides over rearmament, some wanted rapid rearmament to face growing threat of Nazi's; others wanted disarmament
• In 1935, Baldwin said Britain would increase spending on rearmament to fulfil any military requests from the League, no one could've predicted WW2, but in the 40s and 50s Baldwin was seen as one of the 'guilty men' who appeased Hitler
• Baldwin was fortunate to recover his popular reputation before he stepped down in May 1937, he told King Edward VIII he should resign the throne rather than attempt to marry Mrs Wallace Simpson (a divorcee) while king, Baldwin gained popular credit for the calm dignified way in which he managed a potential crisis
• Baldwin was also fortunate to hand over the reins to Neville Chamberlain at a difficult time
• Chamberlain had attempts to find 'a peace in our time' which was hugely popular with the British public
• In September 1930, Chamberlain flew 3 times to meet Hitler
• Chamberlain thought he had been successful but was unfortunate to deal with Hitler
• Churchill was critical of Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler from the start, many others poured contempt on his lack of courage once the war had broken out
• Once the war began, it was clear that Chamberlain did not have the confidence of parliament to wage a victorious struggle, having wated so long to be PM, he was forced from office after a vote of no confidence