David Lloyd George and the British Labour Movement: Peace and War

Before the First World War, Lloyd George moved from being the leading Nonconformist Welsh Radical in to being a highly effective Radical minister, providing imaginative solutions to social welfare and free trade finance. His emergence as a key figure on the Left occurred as the Labour Party developed as a contender for mining and industrial seats. With the First World War Lloyd George built on his pre-war reputation as a minister who could successfully resolve industrial conflict. He was the key production minister at Munitions in 1915-16 and continued to resolve industrial disputes as Prime Minister. Wrigley demonstrates that Lloyd George was moulded by Liberalism and, as a solicitor, admired business people even if he was a vehement critic of landowners. Highly sympathetic to poor people and unorganised labour, he was not trade union minded.