The 1922 General Election Reconsidered: High Politics and the Birth of the Modern British Election by G H Bannet

Paperback
18 September 2025
University of London Press

The 1922 General Election was more than just another political contest; it was the turning point that shaped the modern British electoral landscape. In The 1922 General Election Reconsidered, G.H. Bennett revisits this pivotal moment with fresh insight, drawing on newly available archival materials and digitized resources to decipher the high-stakes maneuvering and backroom negotiations that defined the campaign. Covering the dramatic collapse of the Lloyd George coalition and the intricate web of party alliances and local political machinations, this book captures the election in unprecedented detail.

Bennett studies the key players and the seismic shifts that emerged in the wake of the vote. He also looks into how informal cooperation between parties blurred political lines and how media speculation shaped public perceptions. By placing the election in both its immediate and long-term context, The 1922 General Election Reconsidered is a compelling reconsideration of an often-overlooked moment in British political history that continues to influence elections a century later.