Chapter The Home Rule Movement of Irish Politics - Study Guide by History

During the 1880s there ensued a major debate about the Irish Question in English politics between 'pluralists' and those who advocated an 'organic' approach. The latter argued for the British Isles as an entity, including the Celtic fringe in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and that to promote or encourage separateness would encourage the development of a state within a state. Gladstone moved from this 'organic' view of Britain into an increasingly 'pluralist' standpoint, which argued that Ireland and the Irish were distinct from England and the English and therefore should be given distinct institutions in recognition of this. The Liberal leader was also acutely aware of growing divisions within his party, notably between the old landed Whigs and new Radicals like Randolph Churchill. The Liberals had been brought down by a combination of these divisions, Salisbury's Conservatives and Parnell's Irish Parliamentary Party in 1885.

The new power for the Parnellites came from the 1884 Reform Act, which increased the Roman Catholic vote from 4.4% of the population to 16%. By 1885 Parnell 85 Irish MPs committed to Home Rule and prepared to use the tactic of Obstructionism in the House of Commons. This was a new factor in the complicated political equation surrounding the Irish Question: in Ulster itself the IPP had won 17 seats.

The Conservatives back in government, they turned to address Ireland. Ashbourne's 1885 Land Act extended the land purchase scheme of Gladstone's 1881 Land Act so that tenants across Ireland could now receive up to 80% of the value of property they wished to buy in advance as a low interest long- term loan. This fine piece of legislation was however not enough to save the Conservatives. For Gladstone the fall of the Conservatives was a personal blow as he felt they were better equipped to tackle the Irish Question than his divided Liberals. Gladstone would now have to negotiate with the Irish himself, who were riding a wave enthusiasm applying growing pressure on Parnell to utilise all of his resources to press for Home Rule.

Gladstone had by 1885-86 been converted to the idea of Home Rule, realising the failure of good legislation and coercion to bring settlement to Ireland. Gladstone became increasingly empathetic with the Irish perspective and it became a moral issue for him. But reality necessitated that he needed time to persuade his party to support the measure. This he was denied as his conversion was leaked to the Press and disseminated rapidly through political circles. This influenced the outcome of the election, and the Irish once again held the balance of power in the House of Commons. The IPP was determined to pressurise the government to bring Home Rule on to the statute books, pledging their support for Gladstone. This was a tragedy for Gladstone as he faced a revolt in his party and Parnell leading the Commons. It was into this environment that the first Home Rule Bill was presented in 1886.

Many Liberals did not share Gladstone's view of Ireland and Irish nationalism, viewing them in the worst possible light. This seemed justified with the return of sectarian violence in 1886. The brother of Lord Cavendish, Lord Harrington, was tempered by bitterness towards the Irish, while Joseph Chamberlain and other Radicals were annoyed Gladstone had not consulted them over the Home Rule Bill. The greatest opponents however were the Unionists, those who felt Home Rule was a betrayal of the 1801 Act of Union and the British Empire. Randolph Churchill epitomised this view with his statement that "Ulster will fight, and Ulster will be right!"

This 'Orange Card' played by Churchill turned out to be a trump, finding huge support among Liberals and Conservatives. In Ireland it excited sectarian unrest, Churchill seen by the Nationalists as the English champion of a desire to return to the Protestant Ascendancy. Churchill visited Ulster in 1886 to hep galvanize Protestant Unionism in the north - "No Surrender, No Popery" and a willingness to resort to violence. This was accompanied by a heated press war in Ireland between Nationalists and Unionists.

Gladstone had tried to present Home Rule in 1886 as a modification of 1801 rather than a departure from it. The Home Rule issue was political dynamite however. Parnell was also in a difficult position, trying to balance Nationalists demands for further independence, Unionist criticism and a situation of agricultural distress in Ireland. The Irish leader had to be wary of clutching at whatever form of Home