'Will They Work'

"WILL THEY WORK?" LORD ROSEBERY (aside to McHARCOURT, the Gillie). "WONDER WHAT SORT OF A BAG HE'LL MAKE'OVER THOSE DOGS!!" This Punch cartoon from 1892 shows the danger for the Liberals of the split of Chamberlain's Liberal Unionists. Rosebery is wondering aloud to Harcourt as to how well Chamberlain's group will integrate with the Conservative Party. With the benefit of hindsight it was a crucial turning point in the decline of Liberalism in Britain. It is interesting to see the range of parties and supporters that are having to be relied upon to keep the Liberal government in office in 1892; Labour, Radical Liberals, Irish Nationalists and the leftover loyalists to Parnell.