1895 vote of no confidence in the Rosebery ministry facts for kids

Lord Rosebery lost the vote of no confidence by seven votes.

The deficient supply of Cordite (pictured) precipitated the vote.

The vote of no confidence in the Rosebery ministry happened on June 21, 1895. It's also called the Cordite vote. This was when the Liberal government, led by the Earl of Rosebery, lost a special vote in the House of Commons.

The vote was about reducing the salary of the Secretary of State for War. This was a way to criticize the government for not having enough cordite for the Army. When the vote passed, the Secretary of State, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, offered to resign. The government decided to resign too, even though they had enough support to stay in power. This was because their members were tired and divided. After they resigned, the Conservative party took over. They soon called for a new election and won it. This was the last time in British history a government with enough support lost power because of a confidence vote.

Why the Vote Happened: The Background Story

Lord Rosebery became Prime Minister in March 1894. He was chosen by Queen Victoria herself after William Ewart Gladstone resigned. The Queen's doctor told Rosebery that he was the "only man of your party she likes and trusts."

This choice caused some tension. Other important party members, like Sir William Harcourt, felt they should have been chosen. Harcourt didn't help the government when it faced problems. Rosebery's government also needed the support of the Irish Parliamentary Party to stay in power. However, they couldn't help the Irish party much because their main goal, the Second Home Rule Bill, had been rejected by the House of Lords in 1893.

What is Cordite?

Cordite is a type of explosive that was quite new in 1895. The Army was just starting to use it for their weapons. In 1895, the Secretary of State for War, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, said that new rifle barrels were being made for cordite bullets. He also said there was enough cordite for the year.

However, the Conservative party leaders were told privately that there were enough supplies and that more cordite could be made quickly. Despite this, the Conservatives decided to bring up the issue in the House of Commons on June 21.

The Vote and What Happened Next

The vote happened during a committee meeting, so not as many people voted as in other important votes. The opposition suggested reducing the Secretary of War's salary by £100. This was a way to show that the House of Commons no longer trusted the Secretary of State.

The motion passed by just 7 votes. This could have just meant that the House didn't trust Campbell-Bannerman. But Prime Minister Rosebery decided to see it as a vote against his entire government. On June 22, he and his ministers resigned. The Queen then asked the leader of the Unionist party, Lord Salisbury, to form a new government.

The next month, the Unionists won a huge victory in the 1895 general election. They stayed in power for ten years, first under Lord Salisbury and then under Arthur Balfour.