Constituency : Oxford 1868-80, Derby 1880-95, West Monmouthshire 1895-1904
William took over from Charles Neate at Oxford. He was to become a significant figure in the party.
William was the son of an Anglican minister and grandson of the Archbishop of York. He was related to the Dukes of Bridgwater and Bedford and could trace his ancestry back to the Plantagenets. William went to Cambridge after a home education. His elder brother Edward was a staunch Tory. While at Cambridge he wrote for the Morning Chronicle in support of Peel. In the early 1850s he became a barrister. In 1855 he began to write for the Saturday Review, supporting Gladstone in his tussles with Palmerston. He was narrowly defeated by Robert Ferguson at Kirkcaldy Burghs in 1859. Disraeli tried to entice him with the offer of a safe seat in 1866 but he declined.
William was offered the post of judge advocate general early on but declined it to allow him to continue his legal work ( though in fact he didn't do so to any extent ) In 1871 William attacked Gladstone for the lack of progress on political economy. He was fierce in support of religious equality but denied the radical tag claiming he was espousing traditional Whig principles.
In 1873 William was appointed solicitor-general after George Jessel's resignation. He attacked the Irish University Bill for its gagging clauses. He attacked Gladstone for opposing Tait's bill on ritualism. Gladstone in turn referred to his "slimy, filthy, loathsome eulogies upon Dizzy". William urged Hartington to take the leadership in 1875. Hartington did not , particularly like him feeling he was opportunistically promoting his own cause. Despite trying to persuade Hartington to accept the premiership William was made Home Secretary by Gladstone in 1880. When he lost his by-election by 54 votes Samuel Plimsoll made way for him to come back in at Derby unopposed.
As Home Secretary William courted radical favour with the Ground Game Bill of 1880 which supported tenants against landowners. He was tough on law and order in Ireland which antagonised some of the Home Rulers. He came through a rough election campaign in 1885 when his meetings in Derby were subjected to organised disruption. At the beginning of 1886 he arranged a meeting of Liberal MPs opposed to Home Rule and described Gladstone as a "criminal lunatic" but then accepted Chancellor of the Exchequer from him in 1886. This was the start of a general perception that he was a careerist whose oratorical capabilities disguised a lack of real political convictions. In personal relations he was clumsy and irascible, often alienating potential supporters with his overbearing manner. Gladstone referred to his "powers of self-deception " ( which was rich coming from him ). In 1887 he took part in the Round Table Conference of 1887 which failed to effect Liberal reunion. In 1891 he backed the Newcastle Programme.
In 1892 William became Chancellor again. He read out a pre-prepared eulogy at Gladstone's last Cabinet and held on to the office when Gladstone was replaced by Rosebery. Rosebery succeeded in part because the Cabinet didn't fancy William as their chief. In 1894 he made his largest ministerial mark with the budget which introduced death duties or inheritance tax. In doing so he came out with the phrase "We are all socialists now" marking the Liberals' break with laissez-faire and acceptance of progressive social policies. It was also a bid for Radical support for his leadership. Contemporary critics noted it as "a second son's revenge". ( Rosebery disliked it and the two hardly communicated afterwards ). He was also now the party's leader in the Commons but he and Rosebery failed to agree on much. He demanded his share of patronage and the right to call the Cabinet on his own initiative. William was known as a bruiser ,"The Great Gladiator " who did not command much of a personal following. His cause was assiduously promoted by his son Lewis who was his private secretary.In 1894 he claimed not to be a supporter of the government while Chancellor of the Exchequer !
In 1895 William tried to get a Local Veto Bill through which would allow local parishes to close down all the pubs in their area. It failed and was thought to have contributed to the Liberals' heavy defeat in the 1895 election and his own ejection at Derby.
William got back in at West Monmouthshire but his subsequent displays as Leader of the Opposition were lacklustre and it was clear he did not relish the role. He made a very poor speech on the Jameson Raid in 1896. Rosebery refused to meet him in council. When Rosebery resigned in 1896 over the Armenian massacres William became party leader almost by default. He held the position for two years before resigning. He told Morley that the dissension over policy particularly relating to imperialism made the position impossible.
Now regarding himself as an independent William made strong speeches against government policy in the Transvaal and the Boer Wars. He also got involved in church matters making strong speeches against ritualism in the Anglican church. He offered to rejoin the shadow cabinet in 1900 but wasn't wanted. He was active in the campaign against Chamberlain's proposals in 1903.
William was always a witty speaker who sometimes went over the top but he did give the impression of enjoying himself too much.
In 1904 William succeeded his nephew as heir to his father's estate, having to pay the death duties that he had introduced. He died shortly afterwards aged 76, having decided not to seek re-election.
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