973 Herbert Gladstone

Constituency : Leeds  1880-85, Leeds  West 1880-1910

Gladstone ( Senior )  was  not  entirely  sure  of  success  in  Midlothian  so  he  stood  for  Leeds  as  well  ( even  though  the  Tories  won  both  seats  in  1874.  Triumphant  in  both , he  stood  down  in  Leeds  to  allow  his  youngest  son  Herbert  to  take  the  seat  unopposed

Herbert  was  born  in  Downing  St  in  1854  when  his  father  was  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer. He  was  educated  at  Eton  and  Oxford  where  he  lectured  in  history  for  three  years  after  graduating.  He  was  a  keen  sportsman , enjoying   cricket, football, cycling  and  gymnastics. He  stood  for  Middlesex  in  1880.

Herbert  started  out  as  his  father's  private  secretary  then  was  appointed  a  junior  whip  in  1881. His  first  speech  expressed  doubts  about  the actual  threat  Russia  posed  to  India. He  was  briefly  Deputy  Commissioner  for  the  Office  of  Works  in  1885.

Herbert  became  MP  for  the  new  seat  of  Leeds  West , where  he  had  the  support  of  local  industrialist  James  Kitson,   in  1885  then  made  his  most  famous  contribution  to  history  by  leaking  the  news  of  his  father's  conversion  to  Home  Rule, the  famous  "Hawarden  Kite". He  thought  the  revelation  would  bring  a  direction  and  purpose  to  the  party  rather  than  split  it.  It  has  been  suggested  that  his  father  put  him  up  to  it  so  he  could  deny  the  story  if  need  be.  The  effect  was  to  decisively  turn  the  Tories  against  Home  Rule  and  force  Parnell  and  Gladstone  into  alliance. When  his  father  came  back  to  power  in  1886  he  became  Financial  Secretary  to  the  War  Office.

In  1892  Herbert  became  Under-Secretary  of  State  for  the  Home  Department   under  Asquith  then  First  Commissioner  of  Works  under  Rosebery.

In  1896  Herbert  visited  Constantinople.

In  opposition  Herbert  became  chief  whip  in  1899. He  , like  his  father  was  rather  pro- Boer  , but  he  kept  his  views  to  himself  and  helped  preserve  party  unity.  In  1903 he  negotiated  the  electoral  pact  with  the  Labour  Representation  Committee  that  bore  his  and  Ramsay  McDonald's  name.  In  Leeds  he  and  other  Liberal  leaders  had  placated  local  trade  union  leaders  with  town  council  seats  and  magistracies. The  Liberal  historian  Douglas   accused  him  of  being  the  architect  of  the  party's  downfall  through  misjudgement  of  Labour. He  then  investigated  the  possibility  of  seat  deals  with  Free  Trade  Unionists. He  sent  Asquith  a  letter  suggesting  that  Campbell- Bannerman  was  not  aiming  at  becoming  Prime  Minister.

Herbert  became  Home  Secretary  in  Campbell- Bannerman's  government  and  though  not  a  Radical  played  a  part  in  carrying  the  Workmen's  Compensation  act  of  1906, the  Children's  Act  of  1908 , the  Eight  Hours  act  of  1908   and  the  Trade  Boards  Act  of  1909. He  was  not  an  instinctive  opponent  of  female  suffrage  but  as  minister  responsible  for  public  order , the  prison  service  and  ministerial  security  he  often  had  to  take  tough  action  against  the  suffragettes.

In  1908  Herbert  upset  the  King  when  he  failed  to  respond  to  the  latter's  request   to  ban  a Catholic  procession  to  London. This  led  to  rumours  that  Edward  himself  favoured  the  procession  and  Asquith  had  to  ask  Lord  Ripon  to  intervene  to  get  it  cancelled .   Edward   also  protested  at  Herbert's  appointment  of  two  women  to  serve  on  a  Royal  Commission  on  divorce  reform. He  was  replaced  by  Winston  Churchill  shortly  after  Asquith  became  Prime  Minister.

Herbert  stood  down  in  January  1910  and  was  ennobled  as  Viscount  Gladstone. He  was  not  re-appointed  to  the  Home  Office  and  Asquith  persuaded  a reluctant  George  V to  appoint  him  as  Governor-General  of  the  Union  of  South  Africa. In  1913  he  had  to  declare  martial  law  to  deal  with  disturbances.

Herbert  returned  to  Britain  in  1914  and  spent  the  First  World  War  working  with  charitable  organisations. After  the  War  he  worked  to  revive  the  Liberal  party's  fortunes.  He  was  very  critical  of  Asquith  saying  in  1920  "  Our  stroke  oar  neither  sets  the  time  nor  rows  his  weight...  beyond  a  weak  ripple  his  speeches  have  no  effect". Despite  this   he  saw  the  first  priority  as   getting  Lloyd  George  out  of   the  party  and  spent  most  of  his  last  decade  fighting  with  him  rather  than  anything  more  positive.  Lloyd  George  described  him  as  "the  greatest  living  embodiment  of  the  Liberal  doctrine  that  quality  is  not  hereditary".  He  supported  Lord  Grey's  Liberal  Council  formed  in  1826.

He  died  in  1930  aged  76.