On This Day
08 April 1886
Gladstone introduces the Home Rule bill
To prolonged cheering from Liberal and Irish members, Gladstone entered the House of Commons at half past four. Questions were postponed and the Prime Minister moved that notice of the motion relating to the government of Ireland, the business initiating the debate on Home Rule, should have precedence of the orders of the day. After procedural interventions, Gladstone rose to more cheers to move for leave to bring in the Government of Ireland Bill which he had personally drafted. This was the bill which, in crashing to defeat a few weeks later, split the Liberal Party, creating the Liberal Unionists and effectively lost Gladstone the 1886 general election.