Why did Gladstone covert to Home Rule

Did Gladstone convert to Home Rule to win the election again at Westminster or because he favoured home rule in 1885.

How do you prove he favoured home rule?

Reply 1

girlgerms

- There were 86 Home Rule MPs
- 1884/5 - Third Reform Act wiped out Liberal representation in Ireland in favour of Nationalists
- Gladstone saw it was "the will of the Irish"
- Reform to conserve - he said on being election in 1868 "my mission is to pacify Ireland"
- Gladstone, from 1868, was no longer particularly attched to the concept of Empire - unlike the Conservatives, Liberal Unionists etc. who saw the granting of self government to Ireland as setting a dangerous precedent to other colonies for independence.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head! Hope it helps :smile:

Reply 2

belle_27

This was my coursework so I tell you what I can remember:

- he realised that the Irish were never going to be satisfied until they had some form of self government. His views underwent a radical transformation from 1882 onwards as he realised that no PM was going to spend the time and resources needed to accustom Ireland to the Union therefore the only way out was some form of autonomy.

- he realised there was a genuine sense of Irish nationalism

- he began to sympathesise with Parnell and realised that it wasn't just Parnell leading the Irish where he wanted to go but a genuine wish to be responsible for their own affairs. Also the Irish MPs started putting on an impressive performance in the Commons i.e. good and sensible speeches, good points, Gladstone came to realise that the Irish could take care of their own affairs. Irish agitation was taking a more peaceful route as well unlike the activities of the Fenians in the 1860s they were now contributing to organisatons like the National League. So it was pointless to maintain the union as it was just for the sake of it.

- he realised it was the moral thing to do.

He wasn't trying to unite the Liberals as many of his contemporaries thought he was crazy proposing Home Rule and believed his bill to be unworkable. Sir William Harcourt called him a "criminal lunatic".