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.
14 JANUARY 1924
Efforts to avert a railway strike were being made by the General Council of the Trades Union Congress which was meeting today.
Herbert Asquith, in his reply to a resolution from Paisley businessmen, said that he saw no reason to recede from the opinion expressed at his speech at the National Liberal Club.
The British Broadcasting Corporation announced that they planned to establish a station in Edinburgh.
13 JANUARY 1924
It was feared that there would be a railway strike and the trade unions said that it was now inevitable.
The hope of saving any crew from the L24 submarine was abandoned.
FW Goldstone, the present assistant-secretary of the National Union of Teachers was appointed as the General Secretary in place of Sir JH Yoxall, who was retiring at Easter.
12 JANUARY 1924
Negotiations in connection with the threatened railway strike were opened in London between the railway managers and the Executive of the Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen.
The sunk L24 submarine was found, with no survivors being expected.
Eleftherios Venizelos became the Prime Minister of Greece and appointed a Cabinet.
In the Belgian reply to the German Note regarding the administration of the occupied territories, it was pointed out that the success of the negotiations depended largely on the loyal execution of the Treaty of Versailles by Germany.
11 JANUARY 1924
Whilst in manoeuvres off Portland Bill, the British submarine L24 was rammed and sunk, with the feared loss of 43 lives.
The ballot of miners on the question of terminating the national wages agreement began.
A spinning mill collapsed in Bradford with four people being killed and eighteen others being injured.
The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen confirmed their opposition to the National Wages Board award.
10 JANUARY 1924
The swearing in of Members of Parliament continued in both Houses of Parliament. In the House of Lords, during the attendance of the Commons, Mr J Jones, irritated by the procedure, caused a mild scene. Later, in the House of Commons, he complained to the Speaker of Lords’ “contemptuous treatment” of the House below. Mr Whitley undertook to look into the matter on receiving information in the proper way.
The death was announced of Dr Wace, the Dean of Canterbury.
9 JANUARY 1924
John Henry Whitley was re-elected as the Speaker of the House of Commons.
At a Socialist demonstration in London, Ramsay MacDonald described the spirit which would animate the party if called upon to furnish a Government, a responsibility, he declared, which he and his colleagues would by no means shirk.
A new political party, to be known as the Rural Party, was formed.