Packer, Ian (2011) Contested ground: trends in British by-elections, 1911-1914. Contemporary British History, 25 (1). pp. 157-173. ISSN 1361-9462

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Abstract

By-elections in the period 1911–1914 have been intensely scrutinised, both by Edwardian politicians and historians. For politicians, they were a crucial measure of public opinion at a time of intense party warfare, even though their results were capable of a variety of interpretations. Historians have shared these disagreements, both over how well Labour was performing and whether the Conservatives’ results showed they could be confident of victory over the Liberals in a future general election. This article re-examines these controversies and analyses to what extent perceptions of by-election trends influenced politicians’ political calculations and how much weight can be placed on by-election results in 1911–1914 as indications of the parties’ longer term futures

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	By-elections in the period 1911–1914 have been intensely scrutinised, both by Edwardian politicians and historians. For politicians, they were a crucial measure of public opinion at a time of intense party warfare, even though their results were capable of a variety of interpretations. Historians have shared these disagreements, both over how well Labour was performing and whether the Conservatives’ results showed they could be confident of victory over the Liberals in a future general election. This article re-examines these controversies and analyses to what extent perceptions of by-election trends influenced politicians’ political calculations and how much weight can be placed on by-election results in 1911–1914 as indications of the parties’ longer term futures
Keywords:	Modern History, ref30, refdoi
Subjects:	V Historical and Philosophical studies > V210 British History
Divisions:	College of Arts > Faculty of Media, Humanities & Performance > Lincoln School of Humanities
Depositing User:	Ian Packer
Date Deposited:	24 Mar 2011 15:26
Last Modified:	05 Apr 2013 08:39
URI:	http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/id/eprint/4305

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