The Impact of Labour 1920-1924: The Beginning of Modern British Politics

Modern British politics begins with the Labour victory at the Spen Valley by-election in early 1920. In the next four years, the challenge presented by its arrival as a major electoral force enabled the Conservative leaders to destroy the Coalition, the Liberal Party, and Lloyd George, to triumph as guardians of the social order under Baldwin at the General Election of 1924 and to establish the Labour-Conservative polarisation in the form which has persisted since. This conclusion emerges f...