Ramsey McTory
The 1931 Election
Ramsay MacDonald’s minority Labour government was set on tackling the depression the traditional Tory way. The result had been a bitter split within his own Party. MacDonald had opted for open coalition with the Tories and was therefore expelled from the Labour.
The Liberals were also caught napping. Lloyd George opposed a National Coalition and led a non-coalition group of Liberals. while Sir Herbert Samuel took the majority of Liberals and joined MacDonald’s government as ‘National Liberals’.
Labour speaker Stafford Cripps spoke in favour of Boltz at Bridgwater Town Hall on October 25th 1931, slamming the betrayal of McDonald and Snowden and denouncing tarriffs and protectionism whilst calling for Government control of the banks.
The result was a catastrophe for Labour. The Tories swept to their biggest majority in history, whilst at the same time having the runt end of both their Opposition Parties in peaceful coalition under the pathetic MacDonald as Prime Minister. Few doubted that Tory leader Stanley Baldwin really pulled the strings.
| National Conservatives | 473 |
| Labour | 52 |
| Liberal | 33 |
| National Liberal | 35 |
| National Labour | 13 |
Bridgwater 27. 10. 1931
In Bridgwater, the national picture was reflected starkly – the Tories (now leading a ‘National’ Coalition containing a Labour Prime Minister) won comfortably, while the Liberals stood down having been given assurances by Croom Johnson that he wouldn’t support protectionist policies.
| RP Croom Johnson | Conservative | 24,041 |
| JM Boltz | Labour | 3,974 |
