The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary

Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

in the

County of London The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government A ...

. The party contested elections to both the

London County Council London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kno ...

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 and

Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the 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 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 Woolwich () is a district in southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was maintained throu ...

, 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. 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 Herbert Stanley Morrison, Baron Morrison of Lambeth, (3 January 1888 – 6 March 1965) was a British politician who held a variety of senior positions in the UK Cabinet as member of the Labour Party. During the inter-war period, he was Mini ...

gained control.Memoirs of the

Earl of Listowel Earl of Listowel (pronounced "Lish-''toe''-ell") is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1822 for William Hare, 1st Viscount Ennismore and Listowel, who had earlier represented Cork City and Athy in the Irish House of Commons. ...

: 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 Ronald Collet Norman JP (15 November 1873 – 5 December 1963) was a banker, administrator and politician. He was chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC from 1935 to 1939 and of the London County Council from 1918 to 1919. Biography ...

:1917: George Hume :1925: William Ray :1934:

Harold Webbe Sir William Harold Webbe, Order of the British Empire, CBE Deputy Lieutenant, DL (30 September 1885 – 22 April 1965) was a British politician. He was a Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Par ...

Members of the Party

Frank Goldsmith Francis Benedict Hyam Goldsmith (22 November 1878 – 14 February 1967) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1910 to 1918. He served in World War I. In 1918, he moved to France, where he en ...

, 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 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 ...

, chairman of the London County Council 1928-29. *

, chairman of the London County Council 1918-19. * Richard Robinson, leader of the

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