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January 1910

General Election

The general election of 1910 was called as a result of the constitutional crisis which followed the House of Lords throwing out the 'People's Budget'.

With the coming election, the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP) was in a stronger position to exert influence on the Liberal Party. On 10th December 1909, the prime minister, Herbert Asquith made a speech which demonstrated the Liberals' support of Home Rule: "by a policy which, while safe-guarding the supremacy and indefeasible authority of the Imperial government, will set up in Ireland a system of full self government in regard to purely Irish affairs".

The Liberals won the election with a reduced majority, Asquith continued as prime minister, but now relied on the support of the Labour Party and the IPP.

With Liberal Party support for Home Rule and their resolve to remove the power of veto from the House of Lords, self-government in Ireland seemed only a matter of time.

Parliament, Welfare, Home Rule, Nationalism
1910 election poster for County Antrim.
Deputy Keeper of Records, PRONI D3861/14/1