Preparations for the General Strike 1925–26

Abstract

This chapter examines the way in which the government prepared to tame the labour movement and assert control in the face of continued rank-and-file militancy. This proved to be a harder task than Baldwin anticipated as evidenced by the government climb down on Red Friday 1925. Assisted by right wing forces in the Labour Party and in the trade unions, the government launched an ideological offensive against the left. Once again miners were at centre stage of the managerial offensive to inflict wage reductions and the government, in supporting the interests of big business, made assiduous preparations for the forthcoming industrial offensive. The TUC failed to prepare.