The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and

metropolitan borough A metropolitan borough (or metropolitan district) is a type of local government district in England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts within metropolitan ...

councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.

Formation

The party was formed in 1906 in order to overturn

Progressive Progressive may refer to: Politics * Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform ** Progressivism in the United States, the political philosophy in the American context * Progressive realism, an American foreign policy par ...

and Labour control of much of London municipal government. Before 1906 the Conservatives stood as Moderates. A central Municipal Reform Committee was formed in September 1906, and the new organisation absorbed the Moderate Party, who formed the opposition to the Progressives on the county council, as well as groups on the borough councils that opposed what they termed the "Progressive-Socialist Party". The new party was actively supported by the

London Municipal Society The London Municipal Society was formed in 1894 to support the pro-Unionist Moderate candidates in London local elections. It was a Liberal Unionist society, and was wound up in 1963, following the legislation that would create the Greater London Co ...

whose aim was ''"maintaining and promoting the effective and economical working of the existing system of London Government."'' The Society campaigned on behalf of Municipal Reform candidates, who it was hoped would reduce municipal debt and ''"overcome the increasing advance of Socialism under Progressive auspices"''.

Metropolitan borough councils

The first elections for which the Municipal Reform Party stood were those to Metropolitan Borough councils, on 1 November 1906. The campaign was very successful, with Municipal Reformers winning control of twenty-two of twenty-eight councils. Of the remaining six councils, three had majorities of Municipal Reform-backed ratepayers or independents. Progressives held only three of twelve boroughs they previously controlled, while the Labour party lost its only borough, Woolwich, to the new party. 1906 was to prove a high point for Municipal Reform in the boroughs. They lost some ground in 1909 and 1912, but in 1919 they suffered major reverses at the hands of a resurgent Labour Party. Labour and Municipal Reform each had control of 11 boroughs after the election, although Municipal Reformers were able to have a share of power in the remaining boroughs by forming anti-Labour alliances with the remnants of the Progressive organisation. This anti-Labour strategy led to them returning to power in a number of boroughs at the next election in 1922 and by 1931 they controlled 18 boroughs, with six others controlled by allied parties or coalitions. From that point on the party's vote and share of seats declined at each election. The last election contested by the Municipal Reform Party was in 1945, when they held six boroughs. At the following election in 1949, official Conservative Party candidates stood for the first time.

London County Council

Following their success in the 1906 borough elections, the Municipal Reform Party published a

manifesto A manifesto is a published declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government. A manifesto usually accepts a previously published opinion or public consensus or promotes a ...

for the

1907 London County Council election An election to the County Council of London took place on 2 March 1907. The council was elected by First Past the Post with each elector having two votes in the two-member seats. For the first time, the Progressive Party lost control of the cou ...

. The party's policies included: tight controls on financial expenditure, proper auditing of municipal accounts, creation of a traffic board to co-ordinate transport in the capital, abandonment of the Progressive Party's plan to supply electricity in favour of provision by private enterprise and an education policy favouring denominational schools. The election was held on 2 March 1907, and the party's campaign was highly successful, with Municipal Reformers taking power from the Progressives. The party was to hold power until 1934 when the Labour Party under Herbert Morrison gained control.Memoirs of the
Earl of Listowel: Chapter 3 Student Life: 1924–1932 From 1934 to 1946 the Municipal Reform Party formed the opposition on the county council. The party effectively ceased to exist in 1946, when no Municipal Reform Party candidates were nominated for the county council election, and Conservative candidates appeared in their place for the first time.

Leaders on London County Council

:1906: Richard Robinson :1908: William Peel :1910: Hayes Fisher :1911: Cyril Jackson :1915: Ronald Collet Norman :1917: George Hume :1925:

William Ray William Ray may refer to: * Will Ray (born 1950), American guitarist * William Ray (medicine) (1884–1953), academic in Adelaide, South Australia * William Ray (Oregon politician), member of the Oregon Territorial Legislature, 1856 * William H. R ...

:1934:

Harold Webbe Sir William Harold Webbe, CBE DL (30 September 1885 – 22 April 1965) was a British politician. He was a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) from 1939 to 1959. Born in Solihull, Webbe was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham and ...

Members of the Party

* Frank Goldsmith, representative for South St. Pancras (1904–1910) and

whip A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...

of the party. * Sir Henry Percy Harris, chairman of the London County Council 1907–08, then MP for

Paddington South Paddington South was a Parliamentary constituency in London which returned one Member of Parliament. It was a compact urban area, but predominantly wealthy, and was most famously represented by Lord Randolph Churchill during the latter part o ...

1910–1922. *

Cecil Levita Lieutenant Colonel Sir Cecil Bingham Levita (18 January 1867 – 10 October 1953) was a British soldier and public service worker who eventually rose to be chairman of the London County Council in 1928. Career British Army Levita attended the R ...

, chairman of the London County Council 1928-29. * Ronald Collet Norman, chairman of the London County Council 1918-19. * Richard Robinson, leader of the London County Council 1907–08. * Sir Robert Tasker *

, leader of the party for 12 years.

Notes

{{Portal bar, Politics, United Kingdom, Conservatism Defunct political parties in England Organisations associated with the Conservative Party (UK) Political history of London Political parties established in 1906 1906 establishments in England