Hawarden Kite
Encyclopedia
The Hawarden Kite was a famous British
scoop
of 1885, an apparent instance of flying a kite
, when Herbert Gladstone, son of the then Leader of the Opposition William Ewart Gladstone
revealed to Edmund Rogers
of the National Press Agency in London
that his father now supported home rule
for Ireland
.
The expression refers to Hawarden Castle
, which was Gladstone's home at the time.
1829, Repeal of the Corn Laws
1846, and the Reform Act 1867
were all cross-party acts passed by Conservative Governments.
Gladstone also felt that the Electoral Act of 1884
, that increased the franchise, would give him increased and perhaps permanent majorities in subsequent elections. Formerly a Conservative MP, he was now head of the Liberal Party
, and considered that support from the Irish Home Rule MPs
would further strengthen his position in the House of Commons. At this point the Irish Party was still a third force in parliament.
Meanwhile, in London on 1 August 1885 the Conservative minister Lord Carnarvon
, Viceroy of Ireland, had met Parnell
, the Irish Home Rome leader, for a confidential discussion to see how far each could meet the other's policy. Parnell assumed that Carnarvon was representing the Cabinet, and would agree to his proposals that Carnarvon described as "surprisingly moderate". Lord Salisbury wanted the meeting kept secret, now that he knew Parnell's position, and hoped also that Parnell would mention the discussion to Gladstone. This might move Gladstone to up the ante, and formally declare his support for Home Rule, offering slightly more than Parnell had indicated to Carnarvon; Salisbury believed that such a declaration would split the Liberals.
. It included: "Nothing could induce me to countenance separation, but if five-sixths of the Irish people wish to have a Parliament in Dublin, for the management of their own local affairs, I say, in the name of justice, and wisdom, let them have it."
This promised a large amount of local control within Ireland, but Ireland would remain linked to Britain, with Queen Victoria as head of state, and remain in the British empire. Being a modest measure, Gladstone hoped that Salisbury might feel honour-bound to allow his MPs to vote for and against the policy, and thereby split the Conservatives.
Salisbury had commented on 9 November: "The integrity of the Empire is more precious to us than any possession we can have. We are bound by motives, not only of expediency, not only of legal principle, but by motives of honour, to protect the minority."
That minority in Ireland formed the Irish Unionist Party
and the loyalist Orange Order increased its numbers markedly.
Gladstone won the ensuing election
, but his Irish policy resulted in a disunited Liberal party, and the failure of his Irish Government Bill in 1886. As 93 Liberals voted against their leader, Gladstone called a General Election which he subsequently lost. The Liberal party were now divided, the Gladstonian Liberals on one hand, and Liberal Unionists on the other.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
scoop
Scoop (term)
Scoop is an informal term used in journalism. The word connotes originality, importance, surprise or excitement, secrecy and exclusivity.Stories likely considered to be scoops are important news, likely to interest or concern many people. A scoop is typically a new story, or a new aspect to an...
of 1885, an apparent instance of flying a kite
Fly a kite (politics)
To Fly a Kite is a term used in politics to describe a tactic whereby a politician either directly themselves informally, or indirectly in the media, raises an idea to gauge the reaction to it. Depending on the reaction, the idea may be implemented or disowned and denied...
, when Herbert Gladstone, son of the then Leader of the Opposition William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
revealed to Edmund Rogers
Edmund Rogers
Edmund Dawson Rogers , was an English journalist and spiritualist...
of the National Press Agency in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
that his father now supported home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
for Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
The expression refers to Hawarden Castle
Hawarden Castle (18th century)
New Hawarden Castle, in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales was the estate of former British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, which previously belonged to the family of his wife, Catherine Glynne. It was built in 1752...
, which was Gladstone's home at the time.
Background
Although there is some historical debate surrounding the issue, the consensus is that the Hawarden Kite incident was a political disaster for William Gladstone. Gladstone had converted to Home Rule sometime during his second prime ministry of 1880-1886; however he knew that passing it through Parliament, particularly the House of Lords, would be very troublesome. Therefore, Gladstone had sought cross-party agreement on the issue of home rule, thinking that the Conservatives should pass it as it would hence be easier to get through the House of Lords. Catholic EmancipationCatholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
1829, Repeal of the Corn Laws
Corn Laws
The Corn Laws were trade barriers designed to protect cereal producers in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland against competition from less expensive foreign imports between 1815 and 1846. The barriers were introduced by the Importation Act 1815 and repealed by the Importation Act 1846...
1846, and the Reform Act 1867
Reform Act 1867
The Representation of the People Act 1867, 30 & 31 Vict. c. 102 was a piece of British legislation that enfranchised the urban male working class in England and Wales....
were all cross-party acts passed by Conservative Governments.
Gladstone also felt that the Electoral Act of 1884
Representation of the People Act 1884
In the United Kingdom, the Representation of the People Act 1884 and the Redistribution Act of the following year were laws which further extended the suffrage in Britain after the Disraeli Government's Reform Act 1867...
, that increased the franchise, would give him increased and perhaps permanent majorities in subsequent elections. Formerly a Conservative MP, he was now head of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
, and considered that support from the Irish Home Rule MPs
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
would further strengthen his position in the House of Commons. At this point the Irish Party was still a third force in parliament.
Meanwhile, in London on 1 August 1885 the Conservative minister Lord Carnarvon
Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon
Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon, PC, DL, FSA, FRS , known as Lord Porchester from 1833 to 1849, was a British politician and a leading member of the Conservative Party...
, Viceroy of Ireland, had met Parnell
Parnell
Parnell may refer to:People* Bobby Parnell, a baseball pitcher for the New York Mets* Charles Stewart Parnell , Irish politician* Chris Parnell, actor and comedian* Lee Roy Parnell, country & western singer...
, the Irish Home Rome leader, for a confidential discussion to see how far each could meet the other's policy. Parnell assumed that Carnarvon was representing the Cabinet, and would agree to his proposals that Carnarvon described as "surprisingly moderate". Lord Salisbury wanted the meeting kept secret, now that he knew Parnell's position, and hoped also that Parnell would mention the discussion to Gladstone. This might move Gladstone to up the ante, and formally declare his support for Home Rule, offering slightly more than Parnell had indicated to Carnarvon; Salisbury believed that such a declaration would split the Liberals.
The Kite
On 17 December 1885 Gladstone's son Herbert's letter was published in The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. It included: "Nothing could induce me to countenance separation, but if five-sixths of the Irish people wish to have a Parliament in Dublin, for the management of their own local affairs, I say, in the name of justice, and wisdom, let them have it."
This promised a large amount of local control within Ireland, but Ireland would remain linked to Britain, with Queen Victoria as head of state, and remain in the British empire. Being a modest measure, Gladstone hoped that Salisbury might feel honour-bound to allow his MPs to vote for and against the policy, and thereby split the Conservatives.
Reactions
Once news of Gladstone's conversion came to light following the Hawarden Kite, Liberals and Irish Nationalist MPs voted together to end Lord Salisbury's caretaker administration. This led Salisbury to believe Gladstone was playing games with him and he remained opposed to Irish home rule.Salisbury had commented on 9 November: "The integrity of the Empire is more precious to us than any possession we can have. We are bound by motives, not only of expediency, not only of legal principle, but by motives of honour, to protect the minority."
That minority in Ireland formed the Irish Unionist Party
Irish Unionist Party
The Irish Unionist Alliance was a Unionist party founded in Ireland in 1891 to oppose plans for Gladstonian and Parnellite Home Rule for Ireland. The party was led for much of its life by Colonel Edward James Saunderson and later by the William St John Brodrick, Earl of Midleton...
and the loyalist Orange Order increased its numbers markedly.
Gladstone won the ensuing election
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, but his Irish policy resulted in a disunited Liberal party, and the failure of his Irish Government Bill in 1886. As 93 Liberals voted against their leader, Gladstone called a General Election which he subsequently lost. The Liberal party were now divided, the Gladstonian Liberals on one hand, and Liberal Unionists on the other.