Asquith coalition ministry

Liberal Prime Minister H. H. Asquith formed a wartime coalition government in May 1915. The change of ministry resulted from intense attacks on the Liberal government claiming it had badly mishandled the war effort, especially regarding the Gallipoli Campaign against Constantinople and the Shell Crisis regarding shortage of ammunition on the Western Front.

See also: History of the United Kingdom during the First World War § Government

Asquith coalition ministry
1915–1916
Date formed25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)
Date dissolved5 December 1916 (1916-12-05)
People and organisations
MonarchGeorge V
Prime MinisterH. H. Asquith
Prime Minister's history1908–1916
Total no. of ministers85 appointments
Member parties
Status in legislatureMajority (coalition)
Opposition party
Opposition leader
Sir Edward Carson
(1915–1916)
History
Legislature term(s)30th UK Parliament
PredecessorThird Asquith ministry
SuccessorLloyd George war ministry

The new Cabinet included nine Conservatives and one Labour minister, but the Liberals continued to hold most of the important posts;[1] the Conservatives had demanded Cabinet seats, but they only received lesser positions. Not at all satisfied, Conservative Party leader and future Prime Minister Bonar Law, continued the verbal attacks.

The ministry collapsed on 5 December 1916 as a result of Conservative resignations, who refused to serve under Asquith's leadership. Asquith and most of the Liberals then moved into opposition, while the Conservatives formed a new coalition with a minority of Liberals, under the leadership of Liberal David Lloyd George, the next day.

Cabinet
PortfolioMinisterTook officeLeft officeParty
 H. H. Asquith*5 April 1908 (1908-04-05)5 December 1916 (1916-12-05)Liberal
Chancellor of the Exchequer Reginald McKenna27 May 1915 (1915-05-27)10 December 1916 (1916-12-10)Liberal
Lord Chancellor The Lord Buckmaster25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)5 December 1916 (1916-12-05)Liberal
 The Marquess of Crewe25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)10 December 1916 (1916-12-10)Liberal
Lord Privy Seal The Earl Curzon of Kedleston25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)December 1916 (1916-12)Conservative
Secretary of State for the Home Department Sir John Simon27 May 1915 (1915-05-27)12 January 1916 (1916-01-12)Liberal
 Herbert Samuel12 January 1916 (1916-01-12)7 December 1916 (1916-12-07)Liberal
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Sir Edward Grey10 December 1905 (1905-12-10)10 December 1916 (1916-12-10)Liberal
Secretary of State for the Colonies Bonar Law25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)10 December 1916 (1916-12-10)Conservative
Secretary of State for War The Earl Kitchener5 August 1914 (1914-08-05)5 June 1916 (1916-06-05)Independent
 David Lloyd George6 July 1916 (1916-07-06)5 December 1916 (1916-12-05)Liberal
Secretary of State for India Austen Chamberlain25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)17 July 1917 (1917-07-17)Conservative
First Lord of the Admiralty Arthur Balfour25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)10 December 1916 (1916-12-10)Conservative
President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries The Earl of Selborne25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)11 July 1916 (1916-07-11)Conservative
 The Earl of Crawford11 July 1916 (1916-07-11)5 December 1916 (1916-12-05)Conservative
Minister of Blockade Lord Robert Cecil23 February 1916 (1916-02-23)18 July 1918 (1918-07-18)Conservative
President of the Board of Education Arthur Henderson25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)18 August 1916 (1916-08-18)Labour
 The Marquess of Crewe18 August 1916 (1916-08-18)10 December 1916 (1916-12-10)Liberal
President of the Local Government Board Walter LongMay 1915 (1915-05)December 1916 (1916-12)Conservative
Chief Secretary for Ireland Augustine Birrell23 January 1907 (1907-01-23)3 May 1916 (1916-05-03)Liberal
 Henry Duke31 July 1916 (1916-07-31)5 May 1918 (1918-05-05)Conservative
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Winston Churchill25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)25 November 1915 (1915-11-25)Liberal
 Herbert Samuel25 November 1915 (1915-11-25)11 January 1916 (1916-01-11)Liberal
 Edwin Samuel Montagu11 January 1916 (1916-01-11)9 July 1916 (1916-07-09)Liberal
 Thomas McKinnon Wood9 July 1916 (1916-07-09)10 December 1916 (1916-12-10)Liberal
Minister of Munitions David Lloyd George25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)9 July 1916 (1916-07-09)Liberal
 Edwin Samuel Montagu9 July 1916 (1916-07-09)10 December 1916 (1916-12-10)Liberal
Paymaster General Arthur Henderson18 August 1916 (1916-08-18)10 December 1916 (1916-12-10)Labour
Minister without Portfolio The Marquess of Lansdowne25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)December 1916 (1916-12)Conservative
Postmaster General Herbert Samuel26 May 1915 (1915-05-26)18 January 1916 (1916-01-18)Liberal
 Joseph Pease18 January 1916 (1916-01-18)5 December 1916 (1916-12-05)Liberal
Secretary for Scotland Thomas McKinnon Wood13 February 1912 (1912-02-13)9 July 1916 (1916-07-09)Liberal
 Harold Tennant9 July 1916 (1916-07-09)5 December 1916 (1916-12-05)Liberal
President of the Board of Trade Walter Runciman5 August 1914 (1914-08-05)5 December 1916 (1916-12-05)Liberal
First Commissioner of Works Lewis Harcourt25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)10 December 1916 (1916-12-10)Liberal
Attorney General Sir Edward Carson25 May 1915 (1915-05-25)19 October 1915 (1915-10-19)Irish Unionist
 Sir F. E. Smith3 November 1915 (1915-11-03)10 January 1919 (1919-01-10)Conservative

List of ministers

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.

OfficeNameDateParty
Prime Minister H. H. Asquith25 May 1915 –
5 December 1916		 Liberal
First Lord of the Treasury
Leader of the House of Commons
Chancellor of the Exchequer Reginald McKenna25 May 1915 Liberal
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
& Government Chief Whip in the House of Commons		 John Gulland30 May 1915 –
5 December 1916		 Liberal
Lord Edmund Talbot30 May 1915 –
5 December 1916		 Conservative
Financial Secretary to the Treasury Edwin Samuel Montagu[note 1]26 May 1915 Liberal
Thomas McKinnon Wood9 July 1916 Liberal
Junior Lords of the Treasury Geoffrey Howard30 May 1915 –
5 December 1916		 Liberal
George Henry Roberts30 May 1915 –
5 December 1916		 Labour
William Bridgeman30 May 1915 –
5 December 1916		 Conservative
Walter Rea30 May 1915 –
5 December 1916		 Liberal
Lord Chancellor The Lord Buckmaster25 May 1915 Liberal
Lord President of the Council The Marquess of Crewe25 May 1915 Liberal
Leader of the House of Lords
Lord Privy Seal The Earl Curzon of Kedleston25 May 1915 Conservative
Secretary of State for the Home Department Sir John Simon25 May 1915 Liberal
Herbert Samuel10 January 1916 Liberal
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department William Brace30 May 1915 Labour
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Sir Edward Grey[note 2]25 May 1915 Liberal
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Lord Robert Cecil[note 3]30 May 1915 Conservative
Secretary of State for the Colonies Bonar Law25 May 1915 Conservative
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies Arthur Steel-Maitland30 May 1915 Conservative
Secretary of State for War The Earl Kitchener25 May 1915 independent
David Lloyd George6 July 1916 Liberal
Under-Secretary of State for War Harold Tennant30 May 1915 Liberal
The Earl of Derby6 July 1916 Conservative
Financial Secretary to the War Office Henry Forster30 May 1915 Conservative
Secretary of State for India Austen Chamberlain25 May 1915 Conservative
Under-Secretary of State for India The Lord Islington30 May 1915 Liberal
First Lord of the Admiralty Arthur Balfour25 May 1915 Conservative
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty Thomas James Macnamara30 May 1915 Liberal
Civil Lord of the Admiralty The Duke of Devonshire[note 4]9 June 1915 Conservative
The Earl of Lytton26 July 1916 Conservative
President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries The Earl of Selborne25 May 1915 Conservative
The Earl of Crawford11 July 1916 Conservative
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries Francis Dyke Acland30 May 1915 Liberal
Minister of Blockade Lord Robert Cecil23 February 1916 Conservative
President of the Board of Education Arthur Henderson25 May 1915 Labour
The Marquess of Crewe[note 5]18 August 1916 Liberal
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education Herbert Lewis30 May 1915 Liberal
President of the Local Government Board Walter Long25 May 1915 Conservative
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board William Hayes Fisher30 May 1915 Conservative
Chief Secretary for Ireland Augustine Birrell25 May 1915 –
3 May 1916		 Liberal
Henry Duke31 July 1916 Conservative
Vice President of the Department of Agriculture for Ireland Thomas Russell30 May 1915 Liberal
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Winston Churchill25 May 1915 Liberal
Herbert Samuel25 November 1915 Liberal
Edwin Samuel Montagu11 January 1916 Liberal
Thomas McKinnon Wood9 July 1916 Liberal
Minister of Munitions David Lloyd George25 May 1915 Liberal
Edwin Samuel Montagu9 July 1916 Liberal
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions Christopher Addison30 May 1915 –
8 December 1916		 Liberal
Arthur Lee11 November 1915 –
9 July 1916		 Conservative
Paymaster General The Lord Newton9 June 1915 Conservative
Arthur Henderson18 August 1916 Labour
Minister without Portfolio The Marquess of Lansdowne25 May 1915 Conservative
Postmaster General Herbert Samuel26 May 1915 Liberal
Joseph Pease18 January 1916 Liberal
Assistant Postmaster-General Herbert Pease30 May 1915 Conservative
Secretary for Scotland Thomas McKinnon Wood25 May 1915 Liberal
Harold Tennant9 July 1916 Liberal
President of the Board of Trade Walter Runciman25 May 1915 Liberal
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade E. G. Pretyman30 May 1915 Conservative
First Commissioner of Works Lewis Harcourt25 May 1915 Liberal
Attorney General Sir Edward Carson25 May 1915 Conservative
Sir F. E. Smith3 November 1915 Conservative
Solicitor General Sir F. E. Smith2 June 1915 Conservative
Sir George Cave8 November 1915 Conservative
Lord Advocate Robert Munro8 June 1915 Liberal
Solicitor General for Scotland Thomas Brash Morison8 June 1915 Liberal
Attorney-General for Ireland John Gordon8 June 1915 Conservative
James Campbell9 April 1916 Conservative
Solicitor-General for Ireland James O'Connor8 June 1915 Irish Nationalist
Lord Steward of the Household The Lord Farquhar9 June 1915 Conservative
Lord Chamberlain of the Household The Lord Sandhurst9 June 1915 Liberal
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household Cecil Beck30 May 1915 Liberal
Master of the Horse The Earl of Chesterfield9 June 1915 Liberal
Treasurer of the Household James Hope30 May 1915 Conservative
Comptroller of the Household Charles Henry Roberts30 May 1915 Liberal
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms The Lord Colebrooke9 June 1915 Liberal
Joint Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Lord Suffield9 June 1915 Conservative
Lords-in-Waiting The Lord Herschell9 June 1915 Liberal
The Viscount Allendale9 June 1915 Liberal
The Lord Stanmore9 June 1915 Liberal
The Lord Ranksborough9 June 1915 Liberal
The Viscount Valentia9 June 1915 Conservative
The Lord Hylton[note 6]9 June 1915 Conservative

Notes
  1. Montagu entered the cabinet on 16 January 1916.
  2. Grey was created the 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon on 27 July 1916.
  3. Cecil joined the Cabinet on 23 February 1916.
  4. Devonshire also served as Joint Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords.
  5. Crewe also served as Leader of the House of Lords.
  6. Hylton served as Joint Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords from 26 July 1916.

Citations
  1. Rubinstein 2003, p. 78–79.

References
  • Adams, R. J. Q. '"Andrew Bonar Law and the fall of the Asquith Coalition: The December 1916 cabinet crisis," Canadian Journal of History (1997) 32#2 pp 185–200 online
  • Adams, R. J .Q (July 1986). "Asquith's Choice: The May Coalition and the Coming of Conscription, 1915–1916". Journal of British Studies. 25 (3): 243–263. doi:10.1086/385864. JSTOR 175463.
  • Butler, David; Butler, Gareth (2010). British Political Facts (10th ed.). Palgrave Macmillan UK. ISBN 978-0-230-29318-2.
  • Cawood, Ian (10 May 2013). "Liberal–Conservative Coalitions – 'a farce and a fraud'?". History & Policy.
  • Gollin, Alfred; Whitehall, S. W.; et al. (1976). "Freedom or Control in the First World War: (The Great Crisis of May 1915)". Historical Reflections. 2 (2): 135–155. JSTOR 41298664.
  • Grieves, Keith (1988). The Politics of Manpower, 1914–18. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-7190-2253-1.
  • McEwen, J. M. (1978). "The Struggle for Mastery in Britain: Lloyd George versus Asquith, December 1916". Journal of British Studies. 18 (1): 131–156. doi:10.1086/385732.
  • McGill, Barry (1967). "Asquith's Predicament, 1914–1918". The Journal of Modern History. 39 (3): 283–303. doi:10.1086/240083. JSTOR 1876582.
  • Martin, Ged (1985). "Asquith, the Maurice Debate and the Historians". Australian Journal of Politics and History. 31 (3): 435–444. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8497.1985.tb00128.x.
  • Pugh, Martin D. (December 1974). "Asquith, Bonar Law and the First Coalition". The Historical Journal. 17 (4): 813–836. JSTOR 2638558.
  • Rothwell, Victor (1971). British War Aims and Peace Diplomacy, 1914–1918. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
  • Rubinstein, William D. (2003). Twentieth-Century Britain: A Political History. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 023062913X. Retrieved 7 March 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Searle, G. R. (1992). "Liberalism and the Great War". The Liberal Party. Macmillan Education UK. pp. 121–140.
Preceded by
Third Asquith ministry		 Government of the United Kingdom
1915–1916		 Succeeded by
Lloyd George war ministry
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