On This Day
10 January 1919
Lloyd George announces his new coalition cabinet
Following victory in the ‘Coupon Election’ at the end of the previous year, Lloyd George made changes to his wartime government. He retained the small war cabinet which he had set up on becoming Prime Minister in 1916 and which was not disbanded until October 1919. Labour MP George Barnes and South African leader Jan Smuts left the war cabinet, although Barnes remained in the government as Minister without Portfolio until January 1920, and were replaced by the Unionist Sir Eric Geddes. Although the government was dominated by the Unionists, Lloyd George was able to ensure that Coalition Liberals headed a number of important departments including Edward Shortt (Home Office), Herbert Fisher (Education), Christopher Addison (Local Government Board), Winston Churchill (War Office), and Ian Macpherson (Ireland).