Campbell-Bannermann

British Prime Ministers of the 20th Century

by Roy Hattersley

Henry Campbell-Bannerman was a Liberal politician and prime minister from 1905-8. He was invited by Edward VII to form a government when Balfour resigned in December 1905. In the subsequent general election the Liberals won a large majority, but many of their measures passed in the Commons were defeated by the Conservative majority in the House of Lords - a continuing provocation that led to the Parliament Act of 1911, in which Campbell-Bannerman's successor, Herbert Asquith, clipped the wings of the upper chamber.

Genres: Politics, Biography

161 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2006

About the author

Roy Sydney George Hattersley, British Politian and author.

Reviews

[Geevee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third in the series that I have read (Salisbury, Chamberlain and now Campbell Bannerman), and as a short overview of each PM's life and time in politics they are a good overview of each .

Each book in the series is written by a different author so there are inevitably different styles, but I have read books by Roy Hattersley before and found this to be an enjoyable read .

With Cambpell-Bannerman, Hattersley is both fair and generous with his coverage and conclusions. CB is the only holder of the Office to die in Downing Street, and this perhaps, has seen his short time as PM (1905-08) and thus his Government's achievements and plans, including the social reforms which he laid foundations remain unrecognised as Asquith's Government brought them to the the Statute Book soon after CB's death.

Of particular interest to me also was CB's periods at the War Office and his views on women's suffrage, censorship and trade union rights, as well as his involvement in the Boer War's ending.

He was certainly a liberal and a radical - for the time - and I was left wondering if the Country was robbed of a great prime minister.

[Chris Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this years ago now (2007) when exploring the politics and political figures of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the early origins of the Welfare State. This is an excellent overview by Roy-Hattersley of the career of Campbell-Bannerman who is known for being the only British Prime Minister to die in Downing Street. He is less well-known for being a radical thinker for his day, sympathetic to the suffragettes and responsible for the policy that led Asquith and Lloyd-George as Prime Minister and Chancellor to introduce the first old age pension provision. As Hattersley explains CB's short (3 years) period in government set the direction for many aspects of what would later painfully evolve into the British welfare state as well as setting the international principle that subjects of the Empire that were entitled to self-determination. CB died of heart disease in Downing Street 22 April 1908 by which time he had resigned as Prime Minister and handed over to Asquith.
Well worth reading about and I found this book is a good, readable short summary.

[S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great account of a Prime Minister that shouldn't be forgotten

[Robbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10

[Tweedledum · Rating 3 out of 5]

An obscure prime minister whose history I am sorry to say I forgot almost as soon as I had read it! Nevertheless Roy Hattersley tells the story well and while reading I was propelled along nicely.