On This Day

19 March 1895

Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman is persuaded not to put his name forward as Speaker

Campbell-Bannerman was keen to take on the post and believed he would command support on both sides of the House, but many of his senior colleagues believed that his leaving the cabinet would be disastrous for the government. Prime Minister Lord Rosebery had written to Campbell-Bannerman the previous week outlining his objections, ‘No minister, least of all you, can be spared to fill the Speakership. The fabric of our Government is delicate enough; it cannot now be touched without risk of ruin. Please therefore do not further press or entertain an idea which I sincerely believe to be disastrous on this score alone.’