Category: 100 Years Ago

24 JANUARY 1924

Further Ministerial announcements were confirmed, including William Graham who became the Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Emanuel Shinwell who became the Minister of Mines. Margaret Bondfield became the Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Labour.

The Locomotive Society’s request for a joint conference was considered by the railway managers, whose decision was expected imminently.

There was an attempt at train wrecking made on the London and North East Railway between Bishopbriggs and Lenzie, near Glasgow.

The Anglo-American Liquor Treaty was signed in Washington.

23 JANUARY 1924

Stanley Baldwin resigned as Prime Minister and Ramsay MacDonald was asked to form a Government. MacDonald confirmed that he would be the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary with Lord Haldane became the Lord Chancellor.

The House of Commons agreed to the proposal made by Stanley Baldwin that there should be a three week adjournment.

Viscount Inchcape and Lord Banbury of Southam took the oath in the House of Lords.

22 JANUARY 1924

The Government were defeated in the House of Commons by a majority of 72 on the Socialist amendment to the address.

Reports received from all parts of the country during the first day of the railway strike indicated that so far as the main line services were concerned the companies had been able to maintain moderately good services.

The death was announced of Viscount Downe.

Italy has resumed official diplomatic relations with Greece.

21 JANUARY 1924

Negotiations to prevent the threatened trouble on the railways were unsuccessful, and the members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, in defiance of a recommendation by the General Council of the Trades Union Congress that offers by the companies be accepted and that notices be withdrawn, went on strike.

Two Liberal MPs, Brigadier General Spears and Sir Beddoc Rees, announced that their refusal to support the Socialist amendment against the Government.

20 JANUARY 1924

A revolt amongst Liberals spread after a fear that supporting the Socialist amendment against the Government would lead to the opposition gaining power.

Despite the involvement of the Trade Union Congress, the railway strike was confirmed as going ahead with fears of the future of the network.

19 JANUARY 1924

James Henry Thomas continued the debate on the Socialist amendment to the Address in the House of Commons. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, alluding to the announcement of Liberal support for the amendment, said that the more Liberal members explained themselves the more difficulty would they have in convincing the plain elector that their votes were not contradictory to their election professions.

The General Council of the Trades Union Congress intervened in the hope of preventing a general strike on the railways.

France ‘declared war’ on the British zone in occupied Germany by announcing a blockade of everything except foodstuffs and military transport.

The Egyptian Cabinet resigned.

18 JANUARY 1924

The debate on the Address in the House of Commons was resumed by John Robert Clynes, who moved the official Socialist amendment of ‘no confidence’ in the Government. Herbert Asquith indicated that the Liberals would support the amendment.

Winston Churchill declared that “strife and tumult, deepening and darkening, can be the only consequence of minority Socialist rule”.

It was confirmed that a railway strike would begin on Sunday.

17 JANUARY 1924

Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, Lord Jessel and Lord Darling, all new Peers, were introduced to the House of Lords and took the oath.

In the debate on the Address in the House of Commons, the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs made a statement on points of foreign policy in reply to David Lloyd George’s questions the previous day. The President of the Board of Trade emphasised the necessity of protecting a vital British industry from dumping of Ruhr iron and steel, and mentioned the steps taken by the Government to that end.

A deputation of Scottish Socialist Members of Parliament visited the Ministry of Pensions in connection with a number of questions concerning the administration of war pensions, particularly the reduction of the weekly allowance to dependent pensioners.

16 JANUARY 1924

The King’s speech at the opening of Parliament stated that proposals to give effect to the conclusions of the recent Imperial Conference would be submitted. Measures for the relief of unemployment, including extension of the trade facilities and export credit schemes and the building of cruisers in anticipation of the naval programme, are indicated. Pension reforms, housing and agriculture were also discussed.

In the House of Lords, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs made a statement on foreign policy, and in a reference to the present political situation described Herbert Asquith’s speech at the National Liberal Club as “appallingly unwise”.

There was no progress made in avoiding the proposed rail strike.

15 JANUARY 1924

The State Opening of Parliament took place.

The rail companies and the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen failed to reach agreement so it was expected that there would be a national rail strike.

Sir Thomas Vansittart Bowater, the former Lord Mayor of London, was recommended for adoption as the Unionist candidate in the City of London by-election.