Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, who had been knighted earlier in the decade, became leader of the Liberal Party in 1899. He was unable to wrest the advantage away from the Conservatives at the so-called 'Khaki Election' of 1900, but became Prime Minister after Arthur Balfour's retirement in 1905, and won a landslide for the Liberals (their last ever) the following year. As Prime Minister, he was a strong advocate of free trade, but was also a determined social reformer, passing bills to protect trade unions from liability for damages incurred through strikes, and to enable local councils to supply free school meals to children from poor families. He also supported Irish Home Rule, and oversaw the return of independence to the Transvaal …
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Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman becomes Prime Minister". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 August 2013 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1871, accessed 23 November 2024.]