British Council British Council Visual Arts

This is an election poster for the Unionist Party for the 1910 General Election. The 1909 budget put forward by the Liberal Chancellor, David Lloyd George, proposed increases in taxation on alcohol, tobacco and controversially land and increased death duties and inheritance tax. It was called ‘The People’s Budget’ and was an attempt to redistribute wealth by increasing welfare payments to the old and needy. It was greeted with fury by the landed gentry, and the Budget was thrown out by the House of Lords forcing two general elections the following year. The Liberals were returned by a much reduced majority and the budget was eventually passed by the House of the Lords. It also led to the passing of the Parliament Act in 1911 which removed the power of the House of Lords to reject money bills. p>