Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T22:45:49.686Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Arthur Henderson and the British Political Crisis of 1931*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

Andrew Thorpe
Affiliation:
University of Exeter

Extract

‘No matter how often it is told, the story remains fantastic’, wrote Margaret Cole in 1956, referring to the British political crisis of a quarter of a century before. It would be rash to make such a comment today, for in recent years sober research has answered many of the more ‘fantastic’ questions. The role of the Labour opposition, though, remains somewhat neglected; most spectacularly, no attempt has been made systematically to analyse the actions and motivations of its leader during the crisis, Arthur Henderson. A reappraisal is both necessary and possible.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Cole, M. I. (ed.), Beatrice Webb's diaries 1924–1932 (London, 1956), p. xivGoogle Scholar.

2 Fair, J. D., ‘The Conservative basis for the formation of the National Government’, Journal of British Studies, XIX, 2 (1980), 142–64CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Wrench, D. J., ‘“Cashing in”: the parties and the National government, August 1931-September 1932Journal of British Studies, XXIII, 2 (1984), 135–53CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Ball, S., ‘The Conservative party and the formation of the National government’, Historical Journal, XXIX, 2 (1986)Google Scholar; Williamson, P., ‘A “bankers' ramp”? Financiers and the British political crisis of August 1931’, English Historical Review, IC, 4 (1984), 770806CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Close, D. H., ‘The realignment of the British electorate in 1931’, History, LXVII, 3 (1982), 393404CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Malament, B. C., ‘Philip Snowden and the cabinet deliberations of August 1931’, Society for the Study of Labour History Bulletin, XLI (1980), 31–3Google Scholar; Marquand, D., Ramsay MacDonald (London, 1977), pp. 604–70Google Scholar.

3 For older accounts see Hamilton, M. A., Arthur Henderson (London, 1938)Google Scholar; Jenkins, E. A., From foundry to foreign office: the romantic life story of the Rt. Hon. Arthur Henderson, M.P. (London, 1933)Google Scholar; more critically, Bassett, R., Nineteen thirty-one: political crisis (London, 1958)Google Scholar.

4 Winkler, H., ‘Arthur Henderson’, in Craig, G. A. and Gilbert, F. (eds.), The diplomats 1919–1939 (Princeton, NJ., 1953), p. 313Google Scholar.

5 George, D. Lloyd, War memoirs (2 vols., London, 1938 edn), I, 1041Google Scholar.

6 Winter, J. M., ‘Arthur Henderson, the Russian revolution and the reconstruction of the Labour party’, Historical Journal, XV, 3 (1972), p. 755Google Scholar.

7 Henderson, A., The aims of Labour (London, 1918), p. 10Google Scholar.

8 Beatrice Webb diary, 18 Dec. 1923, B[ritish] L[ibrary of] P[olitical and] E[conomic] S[cience], Passfield papers.

9 Hamilton, , Henderson, p. 361Google Scholar.

10 George Lansbury to Sir Stafford Cripps, n.d., late 1931, quoted in Postgate, R., The life of George Lansbury (London, 1951), pp. 279–80Google Scholar.

11 Marquand, , MacDonald, p. 631Google Scholar.

12 See e.g. McKibbin, R. I., The evolution of the Labour party 1910–1924 (Oxford, 1974), p. 3Google Scholar; Howard, C.J., ‘Henderson, MacDonald and leadership in the Labour party, 1914–1922’ (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Cambridge, 1978), p. 101Google Scholar.

13 Ibid. pp. 22, 59.

14 McKibbin, , Evolution, p. 132Google Scholar.

15 Cross, C., Philip Snowden (London, 1966), p. 214Google Scholar; Howard, , ‘Henderson, MacDonald’, p. 303Google Scholar; Beatrice Webb diary, 14 May 1928, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers.

16 Hamilton, , Henderson, pp. 352–3Google Scholar.

17 See especially Carlton, D., MacDonald versus Henderson: the foreign policy of the second Labour government (London, 1970)CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

18 Philip, , Snowden, Viscount, An autobiography (2 vols., London, 1934), II, 760–4Google Scholar; MacDonald diary, 4 June 1929, P[ublic] R[ecord] O[ffice], MacDonald papers, 30/69/1753.

19 Winkler, , ‘Arthur Henderson’, p. 321Google Scholar.

20 Carlton, , MacDonald versus Henderson, p. 221Google Scholar; Rose, K., King George V (London, 1983), p. 368Google Scholar.

21 Lord Passfield to Beatrice Webb, 16 Sept. 1930, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers; MacDonald diary, 22 July 1931, P.R.O., MacDonald papers, 30/69/1753.

22 Memorandum, , ‘The prime minister’, 29 01 1931Google Scholar, B.L.P.E.S., Citrine papers, 7/8.

23 Kenworthy, J. M., Sailors, statesmen – and others: an autobiography (London, 1933), p. 271Google Scholar.

24 Dalton diary, 16 Apr. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a; MacDonald diary, 16 Apr. and 11 June 1931, P.R.O., MacDonald papers, 30/69/1753.

25 Cabinet conclusions, 20 May 1931, P.R.O., CAB 23/67/29(31); MacDonald diary, 19 and 20 May 1931, P.R.O., 30/69/1753.

26 Ibid. 16 July 1931; Dalton diary, 20 July 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a; Carlton, , MacDonald versus Henderson, pp. 221–2Google Scholar.

27 Dalton diary, 21 Apr. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

28 Ibid. 3–5 July 1931.

29 Report of the cabinet committee on national expenditure, 1931, P.R.O., C.P. 203(31).

30 Cabinet conclusions, 19 Aug. 1931, P.R.O., CAB 23/67/41(31).

31 Sankey diary, 24 Aug. 1931, Bodleian Library, Oxford, Sankey papers, MSS Eng. hist. e. 285.

32 ‘Memorandum’, Sept. 1931, enclosed in A. Greenwood to H. Morrison, 25 Sept. 1931, Nuffield College, Oxford, Morrison papers E/16.

33 Henderson's, speech to the T.U.C, reported Manchester Guardian, 11 09 1931Google Scholar; Dalton diary, 20 and 27 Aug. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a; Sankey diary, 19 and 20 Aug. 1931, Bod. Lib., Sankey papers, MS Eng. hist. e. 285.

34 ‘Note by the [cabinet] deputy secretary’, 26 Aug. 1931, on cabinet meeting of 21 Aug. 1931, P.R.O., CAB 23/67/43(31).

35 Morrison to Greenwood, 10 Sept. 1931, Nuff. Coll., Morrison papers, E/12.

36 P.R.O., C.P. 203(31) (Revise).

37 Dalton diary, 20 Aug. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

38 Henderson, H[ouse of] C[ommons] deb[ates], 8 Sept. 1931, col. 38.

39 Cabinet conclusions, 22 Aug. 1931, P.R.O., CAB 23/67/44(31).

40 Henderson, to T.U.C., Manchester Guardian, 11 09 1931Google Scholar; for opposition reply see cabinet conclusions 22 Aug. 1931 (2nd. meeting P.R.O. CAB 23/67/45(31).

41 MacDonald diary, 23 Aug. 1931, P.R.O., MacDonald papers, 30/69/1753.

42 Cabinet conclusions, 22 Aug. 1931, P.R.O. CAB 23/67/45(31).

43 Ibid. 23 Aug. 1931, CAB 23/67/46(31).

44 Cf. Daily Herald, 24 Aug. 1931, and Morning Post, 29 Aug. 1931.

45 Marquand, , MacDonald, pp. 651–3Google Scholar; Colne Valley divisional Labour party, special executive committee, 29 Aug. 1931, Kirklees District Archives, Huddersfield, C.V.D.L.P. papers S/CV 2; Derby D. L. P. executive committee 5 Sept. 1931, Derby Local Studies Library D.D.L.P. papers, I, fos. 25–6.

46 Dalton diary, 24 August, 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

47 Henderson, H. C. deb., 8 Sept. 1931, cols. 39–40.

48 J. L. Garvin to Lord Lothian, 26 Aug. 1931, Scottish Record Office, Lothian papers, GD 40/17/257/263.

49 Memorandum by C. P. Duff, 25 Aug. 1931, P.R.O., MacDonald papers, 30/69/1316.

50 Dalton diary, 24 Aug. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

51 McKibbin, R. I., ‘Arthur Henderson as Labour leader’, International Review of Social History, XXIII, 1 (1978), pp. 92–4Google Scholar.

52 Dalton diary, 24 Aug. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

53 Ibid. 26 Aug. 1931.

54 Ibid. 24 Aug. 1931; Beatrice Webb diary, 24 Aug. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers; Lansbury, in Daily Mail, 25 08 1931Google Scholar; Daily Herald, and Manchester Guardian, 25 Aug. 1931.

55 Dalton diary, 24 Aug. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

56 Manchester Guardian, 29 Aug. 1931.

57 Jenkins, , From foundry, pp. 168, 210–1Google Scholar; Dalton diary, 28 Aug. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

58 Ibid. 24 Aug. 1931.

59 McKibbin, , Evolution, p. 125Google Scholar.

60 Beatrice Webb diary, 10 Sept. 1926, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers; Clynes, J. R., Memoirs (2 vols., London, 1937)Google Scholar, passim.

61 Ibid. II, 198.

62 MacDonald to Passfield, 14 July 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers, 11: 4i, fo. 156a.

63 Beatrice Webb diary, 20 Sept. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers.

64 Dalton diary, 27 Aug. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

65 Ibid. 28 Aug. 1931; Pelling, H., A short history of the Labour Party (4th edn, London, 1972), p. 71Google Scholar.

66 See his comments to the post-meeting press conference, and to the T.U.C. on 10 September; Manchester Guardian, 29 Aug. and 11 Sept. 1931.

67 Dalton diary, 28 Aug. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

68 See e.g. Graham's, bizarre article in the Daily Express, 31 08 1931Google Scholar.

69 Daily Herald, 7 Sept. 1931.

70 New Leader, 28 Aug. 1931.

71 Dalton diary, 3 Sept. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a; Dalton to P. Noel Baker, 4 Sept. 1931, Churchill College, Cambridge, Noel Baker papers, NBKR 3/62.

72 Henderson, , H. C. deb., 8 09 1931Google Scholar, cols. 25–40.

73 Manchester Guardian, 11 Sept. 1931.

74 Dalton diary, 24 Aug. 1931., B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

75 Ibid. 7 Sept. 1931; Passfield to Beatrice Webb, 7 Sept. 1931, reporting the views of Adamson, Alexander, Lansbury, Lees Smith and Wedgwood Benn, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers, II, 3 (i), 27, fo. 92.

76 Sankey diary, 12 Sept. 1931, Bod. Lib., Sankey papers, MS Eng. hist. e. 285.

77 Beatrice Webb diary, 15 Sept. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers.

78 Noel Baker to Lord R. Cecil, 17 Sept. 1931, Churchill Coll., Noel Baker papers, NBKR 3/62.

79 Dalton diary, 28 Aug. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a.

80 Manchester Guardian, 29 Aug. 1931.

81 Henderson, H. C. deb., 8 Sept. 1931, cols. 25 and 39.

82 Beatrice Webb diary, 15 and 20 Sept. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers.

83 This was the view of Beatrice Webb: ibid. 2 Sept. 1931; doubt is cast on it by the letters from Labour M.P.s to MacDonald, P.R.O., MacDonald papers, 30/69/1315.

84 Manchester Guardian, 18 and 19 Sept. 1931; Seely to Lord Reading, 18 Sept. 1931, India Office Library, Reading papers, MS Eur. F. 118/131.

85 Beatrice Webb diary, 20 and 21 Sept. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers.

86 MacDonald diary, 20 Sept. 1931, P.R.O., MacDonald papers, 30/69/1753.

87 Rosenberg to MacDonald, 22 Sept 1931, reporting Dunnico, 21 Sept., P.R.O., MacDonald papers, 30/69/1314.

88 Ibid. See also Daily Telegraph, 23 Sept. 1931.

89 Henderson to Addison, 23 Sept. 1931, Bod. Lib., Addison papers, box 94.

90 Rosenberg to MacDonald, 23 Sept. 1931, P.R.O., MacDonald papers, 30/69/1314.

91 Mews Chronicle, 25 Sept. 1931.

92 Rosenberg to Macdonald, 23 sept. 1931, P.R.O., Macdonald Papers,30/69/1314.

93 See e.g. Sir Clive Wigram to the king, 28 Sept. 1931, quoted in Nicolson, H., King George the Fifth: his life and reign (London, 1952), p. 490Google Scholar.

94 From my extensive survey of the records of D.L.P.s and trade unions, it emerges that there was very strong feeling against MacDonald at grassroots level.

95 Labour party N.E.C., 28 Sept. 1931, Labour party library; Taylor, A. J. P., English history 1914–1945 (London, 1965), p. 323 n. 1Google Scholar; Citrine, Lord, Two careers (London, 1967), p. 357Google Scholar.

96 Cf. Foot's, Michael foreword to Labour 1983 election manifesto, quoted in Foot, M., Another heart and other pulses; the alternative to the Thatcher society (London, 1984), p. 175Google Scholar. For Bevin and Citrine, see Dalton diary, 28 Sept. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Dalton papers, vol. 14a; Observer, 4 Oct. 1931.

97 Manchester Guardian, 26 Sept. 1931.

98 Beatrice Webb diary, 10 Oct. 1931, B.L.P.E.S., Passfield papers.

99 Labour party, Report of the 31st annual conference (London, 1931), pp. 244–5Google Scholar.

100 Jenkins, , From foundry…, p. 243Google Scholar.

101 Daily Express, 26 Oct. 1931; for special efforts, see P.R.O., MacDonald papers, 30/69/1176.

102 Labour party, Report of the 32nd annual conference (London, 1932), p. 28Google Scholar; Labour party N.E.C., 3 Oct. 1931, Labour party library; News Chronicle, 22 Oct. 1931.

103 The Times, 25 Oct. 1931.

104 Manchester Guardian, 20 Oct. 1931.

105 Ibid. 19, 20, and 22 Oct. 1931.

106 Ibid. 23 Oct. 1931; Reynold's Illustrated News, 25 Oct. 1931.

107 Manchester Guardian, 16 and 20 Oct. 1931; Daily Herald, 27 Oct. 1931.

108 Manchester Guardian, 24 and 26 Oct. 1931; Daily Express, 26 Oct. 1931.

109 Manchester Guardian, 29 Oct. 1931.

110 ‘Report on the general election by the secretary’, to Labour party N.E.C. 10 Nov. 1931, Labour party library.

111 See, e.g. Noel Baker to H. Butler, 14 Sept. 1931, Churchill Coll., Noel Baker papers 3/62; Temperley, A. C., The whispering gallery of Europe (London, 1938), p. 160Google Scholar.

112 For a recent example of the unpatriotic, party boss view of Henderson, see Williamson, P., ‘Party first and India second: the appointment of the viceroy of India in 1930’, Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, LVI, 1 (1983), 86101CrossRefGoogle Scholar.