Anti-Waste League
Encyclopedia
The Anti-Waste League was a political party
in the United Kingdom
, founded in 1921 by Lord Rothermere.
The formation of the League was announced in a January 1921 edition of the Sunday Pictorial with Rothermere attacking what he saw as government waste during a time of recession
. As such the party advocated a reduction spending in government at both local and national level. It was particularly critical of the retention of the high levels of income tax
after the end of the war as well as the funding provided for the 'homes fit for heroes' scheme.
The party stood in a number of by-election
s, taking an increasingly anti-communist line. James Malcolm Monteith Erskine was elected as a joint nominee with an unofficial Conservative Association in the Westminster St George's by-election, 1921, and Murray Sueter
was elected in a joint candidacy with the Independent Parliamentary Group
in the Hertford by-election, 1921
. Rothermere's son Esmond Harmsworth
became the leader of the party's Westminster grouping, which co-operated closely with the Independent Parliamentary Group
of Horatio Bottomley
. Max Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook was also a leading patron of the group.
In reaction to the growth of the League, the Conservative
s launched a Committee for National Expenditure, led by Eric Geddes, with the aim of cutting spending, and eventually acted on many of its recommendations. As their support dipped in the face of the Conservatives co-opting their ideas the League changed its focus to sponsoring independent
candidates and even those from other parties who shared their aims. Following the 1922 general election the League disbanded with most of its members returning to the Conservative Party.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, founded in 1921 by Lord Rothermere.
The formation of the League was announced in a January 1921 edition of the Sunday Pictorial with Rothermere attacking what he saw as government waste during a time of recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
. As such the party advocated a reduction spending in government at both local and national level. It was particularly critical of the retention of the high levels of income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
after the end of the war as well as the funding provided for the 'homes fit for heroes' scheme.
The party stood in a number of by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
s, taking an increasingly anti-communist line. James Malcolm Monteith Erskine was elected as a joint nominee with an unofficial Conservative Association in the Westminster St George's by-election, 1921, and Murray Sueter
Murray Sueter
Sir Murray Fraser Sueter, CB, MP was a Royal Naval officer who was noted as a pioneer of naval aviation and later became a Member of Parliament .-Naval career:...
was elected in a joint candidacy with the Independent Parliamentary Group
Independent Parliamentary Group
The Independent Parliamentary Group was a right-wing political organisation in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1920 by Horatio Bottomley, elected in the 1918 UK general election as an independent Member of Parliament....
in the Hertford by-election, 1921
Hertford by-election, 1921
The East Hertfordshire division by-election of 1921 was held on 16 June 1921. It had been necessitated by the resignation of the incumbent MP, Noel Pemberton Billing due to ill-health....
. Rothermere's son Esmond Harmsworth
Esmond Harmsworth, 2nd Viscount Rothermere
Esmond Cecil Harmsworth, 2nd Viscount Rothermere was a British Conservative politician and press magnate.Harmsworth's father, Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere, had been the financial wizard behind the creation of the Daily Mail in partnership with his brother Alfred Harmsworth,...
became the leader of the party's Westminster grouping, which co-operated closely with the Independent Parliamentary Group
Independent Parliamentary Group
The Independent Parliamentary Group was a right-wing political organisation in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1920 by Horatio Bottomley, elected in the 1918 UK general election as an independent Member of Parliament....
of Horatio Bottomley
Horatio Bottomley
Horatio William Bottomley was a British financier, swindler, journalist, newspaper proprietor, populist politician and Member of Parliament .-Early life:...
. Max Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook was also a leading patron of the group.
In reaction to the growth of the League, the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
s launched a Committee for National Expenditure, led by Eric Geddes, with the aim of cutting spending, and eventually acted on many of its recommendations. As their support dipped in the face of the Conservatives co-opting their ideas the League changed its focus to sponsoring independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidates and even those from other parties who shared their aims. Following the 1922 general election the League disbanded with most of its members returning to the Conservative Party.