# Asquith coalition ministry

The Asquith coalition ministry was the Government of the United Kingdom under the Liberal prime minister H. H. Asquith from May 1915 to December 1916. It was formed as a multi-party war-time coalition nine months after the beginning of the First World War but collapsed when the Conservative Party withdrew.

## History

The new Cabinet included nine Conservatives and one Labour minister, but the Liberals continued to hold most of the important posts; the Conservatives had demanded Cabinet seats, but they only received lesser positions. Not at all satisfied, Conservative Party leader Bonar Law continued the verbal attacks.
The ministry collapsed on 5 December 1916 as a result of Conservative resignations, who refused to serve under Asquith's leadership. Asquith and most of the Liberals then moved into opposition, while the Conservatives formed a new coalition with a minority of Liberals, under the leadership of Liberal David Lloyd George, the next day.

## Cabinet

| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party |
| Prime Minister of the United KingdomFirst Lord of the TreasuryLeader of the House of Commons | H. H. Asquith(head of ministry) | 5 April 1908 (1908-04-05) | 5 December 1916 (1916-12-05) | Liberal |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | Reginald McKenna | 27 May 1915 (1915-05-27) | 10 December 1916 (1916-12-10) | Liberal |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Buckmaster | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 5 December 1916 (1916-12-05) | Liberal |
| Lord President of the CouncilLeader of the House of Lords | The Marquess of Crewe | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 10 December 1916 (1916-12-10) | Liberal |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl Curzon of Kedleston | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | December 1916 (1916-12) | Conservative |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | Sir John Simon | 27 May 1915 (1915-05-27) | 12 January 1916 (1916-01-12) | Liberal |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | Herbert Samuel | 12 January 1916 (1916-01-12) | 7 December 1916 (1916-12-07) | Liberal |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Sir Edward Grey | 10 December 1905 (1905-12-10) | 10 December 1916 (1916-12-10) | Liberal |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | Bonar Law | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 10 December 1916 (1916-12-10) | Conservative |
| Secretary of State for War | The Earl Kitchener | 5 August 1914 (1914-08-05) | 5 June 1916 (1916-06-05) | Independent |
| Secretary of State for War | David Lloyd George | 6 July 1916 (1916-07-06) | 5 December 1916 (1916-12-05) | Liberal |
| Secretary of State for India | Austen Chamberlain | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 17 July 1917 (1917-07-17) | Conservative |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | Arthur Balfour | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 10 December 1916 (1916-12-10) | Conservative |
| President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries | The Earl of Selborne | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 11 July 1916 (1916-07-11) | Conservative |
| President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries | The Earl of Crawford | 11 July 1916 (1916-07-11) | 5 December 1916 (1916-12-05) | Conservative |
| Minister of Blockade | Lord Robert Cecil | 23 February 1916 (1916-02-23) | 18 July 1918 (1918-07-18) | Conservative |
| President of the Board of Education | Arthur Henderson | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 18 August 1916 (1916-08-18) | Labour |
| President of the Board of Education | The Marquess of Crewe | 18 August 1916 (1916-08-18) | 10 December 1916 (1916-12-10) | Liberal |
| President of the Local Government Board | Walter Long | May 1915 (1915-05) | December 1916 (1916-12) | Conservative |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Augustine Birrell | 23 January 1907 (1907-01-23) | 3 May 1916 (1916-05-03) | Liberal |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Henry Duke | 31 July 1916 (1916-07-31) | 5 May 1918 (1918-05-05) | Conservative |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Winston Churchill | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 25 November 1915 (1915-11-25) | Liberal |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Herbert Samuel | 25 November 1915 (1915-11-25) | 11 January 1916 (1916-01-11) | Liberal |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Edwin Samuel Montagu | 11 January 1916 (1916-01-11) | 9 July 1916 (1916-07-09) | Liberal |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Thomas McKinnon Wood | 9 July 1916 (1916-07-09) | 10 December 1916 (1916-12-10) | Liberal |
| Minister of Munitions | David Lloyd George | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 9 July 1916 (1916-07-09) | Liberal |
| Minister of Munitions | Edwin Samuel Montagu | 9 July 1916 (1916-07-09) | 10 December 1916 (1916-12-10) | Liberal |
| Paymaster General | Arthur Henderson | 18 August 1916 (1916-08-18) | 10 December 1916 (1916-12-10) | Labour |
| Minister without Portfolio | The Marquess of Lansdowne | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | December 1916 (1916-12) | Conservative |
| Postmaster General | Herbert Samuel | 26 May 1915 (1915-05-26) | 18 January 1916 (1916-01-18) | Liberal |
| Postmaster General | Joseph Pease | 18 January 1916 (1916-01-18) | 5 December 1916 (1916-12-05) | Liberal |
| Secretary for Scotland | Thomas McKinnon Wood | 13 February 1912 (1912-02-13) | 9 July 1916 (1916-07-09) | Liberal |
| Secretary for Scotland | Harold Tennant | 9 July 1916 (1916-07-09) | 5 December 1916 (1916-12-05) | Liberal |
| President of the Board of Trade | Walter Runciman | 5 August 1914 (1914-08-05) | 5 December 1916 (1916-12-05) | Liberal |
| First Commissioner of Works | Lewis Harcourt | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 10 December 1916 (1916-12-10) | Liberal |
| Attorney General | Sir Edward Carson | 25 May 1915 (1915-05-25) | 19 October 1915 (1915-10-19) | Irish Unionist |
| Attorney General | Sir F. E. Smith | 3 November 1915 (1915-11-03) | 10 January 1919 (1919-01-10) | Conservative |

## List of ministers

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.
| Office | Name | Date | Party |
| Prime Minister of the United KingdomFirst Lord of the TreasuryLeader of the House of Commons | H. H. Asquith | 25 May 1915 – 5 Dec 1916 | Liberal |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | Reginald McKenna | 25 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryGovernment Chief Whip in the House of Commons | John Gulland | 30 May 1915 – 5 Dec 1916 | Liberal |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryGovernment Chief Whip in the House of Commons | Lord Edmund Talbot | 30 May 1915 – 5 Dec 1916 | Conservative |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Edwin Montagu | 26 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Thomas McKinnon Wood | 9 Jul 1916 | Liberal |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Geoffrey Howard | 30 May 1915 – 5 Dec 1916 | Liberal |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | George Roberts | 30 May 1915 – 5 Dec 1916 | Labour |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | William Bridgeman | 30 May 1915 – 5 Dec 1916 | Conservative |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Walter Rea | 30 May 1915 – 5 Dec 1916 | Liberal |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Buckmaster | 25 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Lord President of the CouncilLeader of the House of Lords | The Marquess of Crewe | 25 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl Curzon of Kedleston | 25 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | Sir John Simon | 25 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | Herbert Samuel | 10 Jan 1916 | Liberal |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | William Brace | 30 May 1915 | Labour |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Sir Edward Grey | 25 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Lord Robert Cecil | 30 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | Bonar Law | 25 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies | Arthur Steel-Maitland | 30 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Secretary of State for War | The Earl Kitchener | 25 May 1915 | Independent |
| Secretary of State for War | David Lloyd George | 6 Jul 1916 | Liberal |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | Harold Tennant | 30 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | The Earl of Derby | 6 Jul 1916 | Conservative |
| Financial Secretary to the War Office | Henry Forster | 30 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Secretary of State for India | Austen Chamberlain | 25 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | The Lord Islington | 30 May 1915 | Liberal |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | Arthur Balfour | 25 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty | Thomas Macnamara | 30 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | The Duke of Devonshire | 9 Jun 1915 | Conservative |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | The Earl of Lytton | 26 Jul 1916 | Conservative |
| President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries | The Earl of Selborne | 25 May 1915 | Conservative |
| President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries | The Earl of Crawford | 11 Jul 1916 | Conservative |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries | Francis Dyke Acland | 30 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Minister of Blockade | Lord Robert Cecil | 23 Feb 1916 | Conservative |
| President of the Board of Education | Arthur Henderson | 25 May 1915 | Labour |
| President of the Board of Education | The Marquess of Crewe | 18 Aug 1916 | Liberal |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education | Herbert Lewis | 30 May 1915 | Liberal |
| President of the Local Government Board | Walter Long | 25 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board | William Hayes Fisher | 30 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Augustine Birrell | 25 May 1915 – 3 May 1916 | Liberal |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Henry Duke | 31 Jul 1916 | Conservative |
| Vice President of the Department of Agriculture for Ireland | Thomas Russell | 30 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Winston Churchill | 25 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Herbert Samuel | 25 Nov 1915 | Liberal |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Edwin Montagu | 11 Jan 1916 | Liberal |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Thomas McKinnon Wood | 9 Jul 1916 | Liberal |
| Minister of Munitions | David Lloyd George | 25 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Minister of Munitions | Edwin Montagu | 9 Jul 1916 | Liberal |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions | Christopher Addison | 30 May 1915 – 8 Dec 1916 | Liberal |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions | Arthur Lee | 11 Nov 1915 – 9 Jul 1916 | Conservative |
| Paymaster General | The Lord Newton | 9 Jun 1915 | Conservative |
| Paymaster General | Arthur Henderson | 18 Aug 1916 | Labour |
| Minister without Portfolio | The Marquess of Lansdowne | 25 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Postmaster General | Herbert Samuel | 26 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Postmaster General | Joseph Pease | 18 Jan 1916 | Liberal |
| Assistant Postmaster-General | Herbert Pease | 30 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Secretary for Scotland | Thomas McKinnon Wood | 25 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Secretary for Scotland | Harold Tennant | 9 Jul 1916 | Liberal |
| President of the Board of Trade | Walter Runciman | 25 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade | E. G. Pretyman | 30 May 1915 | Conservative |
| First Commissioner of Works | Lewis Harcourt | 25 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Attorney General | Sir Edward Carson | 25 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Attorney General | Sir F. E. Smith | 3 Nov 1915 | Conservative |
| Solicitor General | Sir F. E. Smith | 2 Jun 1915 | Conservative |
| Solicitor General | Sir George Cave | 8 Nov 1915 | Conservative |
| Lord Advocate | Robert Munro | 8 Jun 1915 | Liberal |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | Thomas Brash Morison | 8 Jun 1915 | Liberal |
| Attorney-General for Ireland | John Gordon | 8 Jun 1915 | Conservative |
| Attorney-General for Ireland | James Campbell | 9 Apr 1916 | Conservative |
| Solicitor-General for Ireland | James O'Connor | 8 Jun 1915 | Irish Parliamentary |
| Lord Steward of the Household | The Lord Farquhar | 9 Jun 1915 | Conservative |
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | The Lord Sandhurst | 9 Jun 1915 | Liberal |
| Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | Cecil Beck | 30 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Master of the Horse | The Earl of Chesterfield | 9 Jun 1915 | Liberal |
| Treasurer of the Household | James Hope | 30 May 1915 | Conservative |
| Comptroller of the Household | Charles Roberts | 30 May 1915 | Liberal |
| Captain of the Gentlemen-at-ArmsJoint Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords | The Lord Colebrooke | 9 Jun 1915 | Liberal |
| Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard | The Lord Suffield | 9 Jun 1915 | Conservative |
| Lords-in-Waiting | The Lord Herschell | 9 Jun 1915 | Liberal |
| Lords-in-Waiting | The Viscount Allendale | 9 Jun 1915 | Liberal |
| Lords-in-Waiting | The Lord Stanmore | 9 Jun 1915 | Liberal |
| Lords-in-Waiting | The Lord Ranksborough | 9 Jun 1915 | Liberal |
| Lords-in-Waiting | The Viscount Valentia | 9 Jun 1915 | Conservative |
| Lords-in-Waiting | The Lord Hylton | 9 Jun 1915 | Conservative |