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

and

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

councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.

Formation

The party was formed in 1906 in order to overturn Progressive 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 ...

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 town in South London, 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 mainta ...

, 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 written declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party, or government. A manifesto can accept a previously published opinion or public consensus, but many prominent ...

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 Cabinet as a member of the Labour Party. During the inter-war period, he was Minist ...

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

:1907: Richard Robinson :1908: William Peel :1910: Hayes Fisher :1911: Cyril Jackson :1915: Ronald Collet Norman :1917: George Hume :1925: William Ray :1934: Harold Webbe

Members of the Party

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

whip A whip is a blunt weapon or implement used in a striking motion to create sound or pain. Whips can be used for flagellation against humans or animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain, or be used as an audible cue thro ...

of the party. * Sir Henry Percy Harris, chairman of the London County Council 1907–08, then MP for Paddington South 1910–1922. * Cecil Levita, chairman of the London County Council 1928–29. * Ronald Collet Norman, chairman of the London County Council 1918–19. * Richard Robinson, leader of the

1907–08. * Sir Robert Tasker * Harold Webbe, 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