During the First World War, to ensure stability for the war effort, a coalition government was formed that included M.P.s from all parties. For the same reason the trades unions had accepted restrictions on industrial action during the war. In the general election of 1918, Lloyd George's Coalition candidates were mostly Conservatives; this drew protests from many of the Liberals. The Labour Party was not included in this coalition. The Coalition returned with 474 seats to 57 Labour M.P.s and 26 Asquithian Liberals. The new government was at once confronted with industrial unrest. A threatened strike by the Miners Federation was averted by the setting up of a Coal Industry Commission to consider hours, wages, and the ownership of the industry. The Commission had representatives from the Federation and the mine-owners, and was chaired by Mr Justice Sankey. A compromise was agreed on hours and wages, but no agreement was reached on the subject of ownership. Mr Justice Sankey's report recommended the nationalisation of the mines. This was rejected by Parliament. Following this the Industrial Courts Act (1919) set up a permanent arbitration tribunal for employer/employee disputes. In September the same year, proposed wage reductions resulted in a strike of the National Union of Railwaymen. The strike was quickly settled, largely due to the intervention of a negotiating committee appointed by other unions affected by the strike.
From the guide to the The English Domestic Politics Collection, 1918-1919, (GB 532 Bradford University Library)
