On This Day

05 June 1904

A great free trade rally is held at Alexandra Palace to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Richard Cobden

The speakers include Campbell-Bannerman, Lloyd George and Winston Churchill, still nominally a Conservative. In his speech in support of free trade Churchill asks, ‘And how is it with the Conservative Party? They are not pleased with me. They say I ought to join the Liberal Party. It is not a bad idea. I will consider it carefully’.