… Sadly, this sense of admiration and harmonious co-operation was not to endure. The stumbling block proved to be the Labour Government's introduction of the…
… Sadly, this sense of admiration and harmonious co-operation was not to endure. The stumbling block proved to be the Labour Government's introduction of the Coal Mines Bill in December 1929, a measure rightly described by one historian as 'a clumsily patched-up compromise between what the Labour Party was pledged to do for the miners restore the seven-hour day and what the coal-owners were prepared to accept'. Lloyd George, who had himself been responsible for…
… Members should at least have been allowed a free hand to act and vote as they considered fit,14 and saw that his long hours…
… Members should at least have been allowed a free hand to act and vote as they considered fit,14 and saw that his long hours of hard work in drafting amendments had been totally wasted. In March, Montgomeryshire Liberals resolved 'to convey a message of cheer and appreciation to Mr. Clement Davies in view of the crisis and difficult situation he has been in of late'.15 In an amazingly frank and uncharacteristically bitter interview published…
… continue to sit in the House of Commons until the next general election, it was considered most unlikely that he would stand for re-election.21…
… continue to sit in the House of Commons until the next general election, it was considered most unlikely that he would stand for re-election.21 These suspicions were confirmed at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Montgomeryshire Liberal Association on 23 September, when Davies announced that Lever Brothers required an undertaking from him that he would retire from Parliament at the next general election. He promised, however, to serve his constituents to the…
… The need to select a candidate had become all the more urgent as in March the Montgomeryshire Conservative Association had announced that it had…
… The need to select a candidate had become all the more urgent as in March the Montgomeryshire Conservative Association had announced that it had chosen as its candidate C. E. FitzHugh of Plas Power Hall, Wrexham.35 At his adoption meeting, FitzHugh declared, 'Having lived all my life in Wales, my sympathies are with Welshmen and Welsh farmers'. He committed himself to a policy of 'rigid economy' and sacrifice by all classes, and launched an…
… At the eleventh hour Montgomeryshire politics were again thrown into disarray by an unexpected course of events. C. P. Williams's official adoption meeting as…
… At the eleventh hour Montgomeryshire politics were again thrown into disarray by an unexpected course of events. C. P. Williams's official adoption meeting as Liberal candidate for Montgomeryshire had been arranged for 13 October. Five days before the adoption meeting, however, Lever Brothers decided to release Davies from his commitment to retire from Parliament and permitted him to remain in political life. The decision left Davies in a predica- ment, for he had already…
… the local Liberal press concluded that the manner of Davies's unopposed return to Westminster had left 'disagreeable impressions both inside and outside the county'.55…
… the local Liberal press concluded that the manner of Davies's unopposed return to Westminster had left 'disagreeable impressions both inside and outside the county'.55 Thus did Clement Davies become one of four Welsh Members who formed part of Sir John Simon's Liberal National group in the House of Commons. His colleagues included Dr. Henry Morris-Jones, Denbighshire, who was re-nominated by his local Liberal Association by forty-six votes to twenty-two, the minority advocating support of…
… favour of 'a fair trial, though he would watch it with a prejudice in favour of free trade'.63 The Liberals of Montgomeryshire professed to…
… favour of 'a fair trial, though he would watch it with a prejudice in favour of free trade'.63 The Liberals of Montgomeryshire professed to being 'fully satisfied' with the explanation given, and expressed their appreciation of 'the very difficult situation' in which their Member had found himself.64 Reflecting on these events eleven years late, Davies wrote to his son that he felt that the Samuelite Liberals had left the National Government in 1932 'on…
… primarily upon his parliamentary duties. Much of his time and energies were inevitably channelled into his lucrative directorship with Lever Brothers. But he did…
… primarily upon his parliamentary duties. Much of his time and energies were inevitably channelled into his lucrative directorship with Lever Brothers. But he did play an important part in drawing the attention of the Ministries at Westminster to the problems of poverty and deprivation in rural Wales.72 The attempt to minimise the hardships and sufferings of Montgomeryshire and similar counties became one of the central themes of his career. At the end of 1934,…
… When the Executive next met on 29 October and it was proposed that Davies should be re-adopted as candidate, Hamer proposed that the matter…
… When the Executive next met on 29 October and it was proposed that Davies should be re-adopted as candidate, Hamer proposed that the matter should be referred to the local associations throughout the county. The original proposition received fourteen votes, and Hamer's amendment seven. so When the Association's council met later the same day to adopt a candidate, a stormy meeting ensued. 'What can I do?', asked Davies, 'Do you want me to be…
… Liberal candidate supporting the National Government".86 In his election address to the Montgomeryshire electorate, Davies stated his belief that the National Government had restored…
… Liberal candidate supporting the National Government".86 In his election address to the Montgomeryshire electorate, Davies stated his belief that the National Government had restored the financial stability upon which trade, employment and prosperity depended. He claimed that the influence of the Samuelite Liberals on policies was inconsequential, and that to some extent Liberalism had permeated both the Labour and Conservative parties. He con- cluded, 'I stood as a Liberal. I was nominated by the…
… In spite of Davies's blunt words, little change ensued in the financial position of the Montgomerysire Liberal Association. By February 1931, the debit balance…
… In spite of Davies's blunt words, little change ensued in the financial position of the Montgomerysire Liberal Association. By February 1931, the debit balance had risen to £ 140 and it was reported that, 'The Local Associations had not responded so well as desired, and expected, to the Financial Scheme'.98 In June, 'More local effort would have to made to obtain the specified quota'.99 By February 1932, the Association's Auditor had written to its…
… camp. At the Annual General Meeting of the county Conservative Association in 1937, Major W. M. Dugdale, its Chairman, conveyed the feeling of local…
… camp. At the Annual General Meeting of the county Conservative Association in 1937, Major W. M. Dugdale, its Chairman, conveyed the feeling of local Tories towards Clement Davies's stand as a National Liberal Member: 'We have a good M.P., though not a Conservative, and a National Government which seems to be satisfactory on the whole'. When local political life became more lively during 1938, the reason for the new activity was, predictably, a dispute…