Coalition Coupon
Encyclopedia
The ‘Coalition Coupon’, often referred to as ‘the coupon’, refers to the letter sent to parliament
ary candidates at the United Kingdom general election, 1918
endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory in the First World War and the desire for revenge against Germany and its allies. Receiving the coupon was interpreted by the electorate as a sign of patriotism that helped candidates gain election, while those who did not receive it had a more difficult time as they were sometimes seen as anti-war or pacifist. The letters were all dated 20 November 1918 and were signed by prime minister David Lloyd George
for the Coalition Liberals
and Andrew Bonar Law, the leader of the Conservative Party
. As a result the 1918 general election has become known as 'the coupon election'.
leader, H H Asquith, disparagingly using the jargon of rationing which people were familiar with in the context of wartime shortages.
‘Dear ......
We have much pleasure in recognizing you as the Coalition Candidate for (name of constituency).
We have every hope that the Electors will return you as their Representative in Parliament to support the government in the great task which lies before it.
Yours truly,
D. Lloyd George
A. Bonar Law’
Some coalition candidates included the wording of the letter in their election addresses.
, Freddie Guest, and Bonar Law over the summer of 1918, it was agreed that 150 Liberals were to be offered the support of the prime minister and the leader of the Conservative Party at the next general election. The consensus is that the number, apparently Lloyd George’s own suggestion, was a generous allocation on the part of the Unionists, given their preponderance in the coalition.
According to the figures recorded in Wilson’s book, The Downfall of the Liberal Party, 159 Liberal candidates received the ‘coupon’. A few of these were Independent Liberals
, supporters of H H Asquith
. Of those Liberals receiving the ‘coupon’ 136 were elected, whereas only 29 who did not receive the ‘coupon’ were returned to Parliament.
In addition to the Liberal and Conservative candidates who received the ‘coupon’ some letters were also sent to Labour
supporters of the Coalition (although most were repudiated by the official Labour Party) and some to members of the patriotic, working class party the National Democratic Party
.
’s memoir of the time makes clear, many competent and patriotic candidates who did not receive the ‘coupon’, including sitting Liberal and Labour MPs, found themselves categorised as somehow anti-war or pacifist as a result. Sir Percy Harris
, who had been MP for Harborough
since 1916 recorded that once the ‘coupon’ had been allocated to his Conservative opponent it was interpreted as a personal reflection upon him by his constituents who assumed he must have done something wrong for the Liberal prime minister to be seen offering his open support to a rival.
Most historians have since agreed that the coupon essentially sealed the fate of those Liberals who were not fortunate enough to receive the Coalition's backing. Those Liberals that Lloyd George chose to abandon were left defenceless against Coalition candidates, who had a full claim on the spirit of national unity and patriotism that characterised Britain's war weary mood following the end of hostilities.
The election result was catastrophic for these Asquithian Independent Liberals
, who were decimated in the Coupon election. Only 28 were returned, and even Asquith
lost the seat he had held in East Fife since the 1886 general election
.
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
ary candidates at the United Kingdom general election, 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory in the First World War and the desire for revenge against Germany and its allies. Receiving the coupon was interpreted by the electorate as a sign of patriotism that helped candidates gain election, while those who did not receive it had a more difficult time as they were sometimes seen as anti-war or pacifist. The letters were all dated 20 November 1918 and were signed by prime minister David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
for the Coalition Liberals
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and Andrew Bonar Law, the leader of the Conservative Party
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...
. As a result the 1918 general election has become known as 'the coupon election'.
The ‘Coupon’
The name ‘coupon’ was coined by LiberalLiberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
leader, H H Asquith, disparagingly using the jargon of rationing which people were familiar with in the context of wartime shortages.
Text of the letter
The letters all contained the same simple text:‘Dear ......
We have much pleasure in recognizing you as the Coalition Candidate for (name of constituency).
We have every hope that the Electors will return you as their Representative in Parliament to support the government in the great task which lies before it.
Yours truly,
D. Lloyd George
A. Bonar Law’
Some coalition candidates included the wording of the letter in their election addresses.
Who received the Coupon?
Following confidential negotiations between Lloyd George’s Coalition Chief WhipChief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
, Freddie Guest, and Bonar Law over the summer of 1918, it was agreed that 150 Liberals were to be offered the support of the prime minister and the leader of the Conservative Party at the next general election. The consensus is that the number, apparently Lloyd George’s own suggestion, was a generous allocation on the part of the Unionists, given their preponderance in the coalition.
According to the figures recorded in Wilson’s book, The Downfall of the Liberal Party, 159 Liberal candidates received the ‘coupon’. A few of these were Independent Liberals
Independent Liberal Party (UK, 1918)
The Independent Liberal Party was formed in 1918 as a splinter from the Liberal Party. It was led by H. H. Asquith, in opposition to the Coalition government, whose candidates were marked at the 1918 election by the Coalition Coupon.After the 1918 election, the party remained in existence in...
, supporters of H H Asquith
H. H. Asquith
Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
. Of those Liberals receiving the ‘coupon’ 136 were elected, whereas only 29 who did not receive the ‘coupon’ were returned to Parliament.
In addition to the Liberal and Conservative candidates who received the ‘coupon’ some letters were also sent to Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
supporters of the Coalition (although most were repudiated by the official Labour Party) and some to members of the patriotic, working class party the National Democratic Party
National Democratic and Labour Party
The National Democratic and Labour Party, usually abbreviated to National Democratic Party , was a political party in the United Kingdom....
.
Impact on Liberal candidates
As Margaret ColeMargaret Cole
Dame Margaret Isabel Cole, DBE was an English socialist politician.Daughter of John Percival Postgate and Edith Allen, Margaret was educated at Roedean School and Girton College, Cambridge. While at Girton, through her reading of H. G...
’s memoir of the time makes clear, many competent and patriotic candidates who did not receive the ‘coupon’, including sitting Liberal and Labour MPs, found themselves categorised as somehow anti-war or pacifist as a result. Sir Percy Harris
Sir Percy Harris, 1st Baronet
Sir Percy Alfred Harris, 1st Baronet PC was a British Liberal Party politician.Born in Kensington, Harris was educated at Harrow and Trinity Hall, Cambridge and was called to the bar...
, who had been MP for Harborough
Harborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Harborough is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
since 1916 recorded that once the ‘coupon’ had been allocated to his Conservative opponent it was interpreted as a personal reflection upon him by his constituents who assumed he must have done something wrong for the Liberal prime minister to be seen offering his open support to a rival.
Most historians have since agreed that the coupon essentially sealed the fate of those Liberals who were not fortunate enough to receive the Coalition's backing. Those Liberals that Lloyd George chose to abandon were left defenceless against Coalition candidates, who had a full claim on the spirit of national unity and patriotism that characterised Britain's war weary mood following the end of hostilities.
The election result was catastrophic for these Asquithian Independent Liberals
Independent Liberal Party (UK, 1918)
The Independent Liberal Party was formed in 1918 as a splinter from the Liberal Party. It was led by H. H. Asquith, in opposition to the Coalition government, whose candidates were marked at the 1918 election by the Coalition Coupon.After the 1918 election, the party remained in existence in...
, who were decimated in the Coupon election. Only 28 were returned, and even Asquith
H. H. Asquith
Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
lost the seat he had held in East Fife since the 1886 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
.