Source one

This poster from 1910 shows the Irish nationalist leader, John Redmond, who had been pressing the Liberal Party Government to pass the Home Rule Bill, giving self-government for Ireland. Catalogue ref: COPY 1/353 

 

Herbert Asquith’s Liberal government remained in power after two General Elections in January 1910 and December 1910 with the support of the Irish Parliamentary Party led by John Redmond. Liberals did not have a majority of seats in the House of Commons and the Irish Parliamentary Party held the balance of power in Parliament. They were in a strong position to push for Home Rule. 

 

Irish Home Rule was finally granted in 1914, but was delayed because of the start of the First World War, and partly also because Unionists, especially in the north-eastern province of Ulster, were not happy with this outcome, and continued to threaten civil war. 

Transcript 

John Bull: “I’ll give him HOME RULE” 

 

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  • What is John Redmond (dressed in green) doing in this image? 
  • What is John Bull (dressed in red) doing? 
  • Do you know who John Bull was supposed to represent in political cartoons like this? Can you find out? 
  • What do you think the artist is trying to say about Irish Home Rule? 
  • What are the advantages /disadvantages of using political cartoons as evidence for the past?