Independent Liberal Party (UK, 1918)
Encyclopedia
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 (whether Conservatives or Liberal) were marked at the 1918 election
by the Coalition Coupon
.
After the 1918 election, the party remained in existence in parliament until 1922, although greatly weakened. Only 28 were returned, and even Asquith himself had lost his East Fife seat. Between 1918 and 1922, there were twenty-four three-cornered parliamentary by-election
s, but in each of them the Independent Liberal candidates polled only between 24 and 28 per cent of the votes.
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...
. It was led by 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...
, in opposition to the Coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
, whose candidates (whether Conservatives or Liberal) were marked at the 1918 election
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...
by the Coalition Coupon
Coalition Coupon
The ‘Coalition Coupon’, often referred to as ‘the coupon’, refers to the letter sent to parliamentary 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...
.
After the 1918 election, the party remained in existence in parliament until 1922, although greatly weakened. Only 28 were returned, and even Asquith himself had lost his East Fife seat. Between 1918 and 1922, there were twenty-four three-cornered parliamentary 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, but in each of them the Independent Liberal candidates polled only between 24 and 28 per cent of the votes.