18 August 1919

LLoyd George rules out nationalising the mines

Lloyd George states to the House of Commons that despite considerable support for the idea of nationalisation, the government will not follow such a policy. Lloyd George had established the Sankey Commission earlier in the year to consider the case for nationalisation in the mining industry. The Commission included a number of miners’ leaders. This was arguably to stave off the threat of strike action in the industry, where workers were demanding a 30% pay increase and a reduction of hours in the working day. This was against a backdrop in which the Government were concerned about the rise of Socialism. The report recommended a reduction to a 7-hour working day and a wage increase, which resulted in a proposed strike being called off. The second part of the Commission’s report recommended the nationalisation of the industry, which Lloyd George’s Government rejected.