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The Welsh Wizard’s recent address to the Houses of Parliament had sharply divided the government, with a fearsome debate raging. It could not be denied that German economic power was immense and was likely to remain overshadowing Britain unless something was done – but was war the right answer? Many disagreed, with a great number of the Liberal Party’s MPs fixated upon idea that peace was the right way forward, and that economic co-operation could lead to a brighter future rather than joining a foray which had only caused misery and millions of deaths for an entire continent. On the other hand of the spectrum laid the Conservative Party, who had taken to supporting David Lloyd George’s position upon Germany. They argued that not only was Britain’s immense empire and economic independence at risk, but the victory of what they blatantly termed ‘militaristic huns’ spelled doomed for the traditional British values of democracy and the balance of power. Holding a similar amount of seats within Parliament, the issue was deadlocked. It would come down to the minor parties.

A relative newcomer to the world of British politics, the Labour Party was the third largest party representing Britain within the House of Commons. They were a working class party, and spoke for the ordinary people of Britain. This often meant they were more or less in agreement with the reformist MPs of the Liberal Party, but the issue of war proved to be a difficult case. Although initially the Labour party seemed to be split, the leadership of Ramsay MacDonald – a man with a keen interest in foreign affairs and decidedly affected by the Boer war – was a prominent anti-war spokesman within Parliament. Although he was viciously attacked by many Conservative MPs, he held his ground and it wasn’t long before the majority of the Labour Party turned joining forces with the great majority of the Liberal Party in opposing war.

The anti-war feeling seemed dominant within Parliament, but the Conservative Party refused go down without a fight. Despite Lloyd George being a Liberal Prime Minister, he enjoyed their full support – and it was support he desperately needed to make this bill go through. The Conservative Party did not possess enough seats to pass the bill, and the combined forces of the good portion of the Liberal Party and the Labour Party was enough to override any suggested bill. But there was a hope. The Irish Parliamentary Party possessed a fine number of seats despite the chaos within Ulster, and they were known as reasonable politicians who desired an end to all hostilities within Ireland too. Conservative politicians began to approach the Irish MPs, with Party Leader Bonar Law announcing a support for the IPP’s Home Rule – so long as Ulster was excluded. Negotiations between the two parties began, where in return for joining the cause of the Conservative Party during the fearsome debate on the European war; the issue of Home Rule would be settled and applied to those regions of Ireland unopposed to it. Although the talks were tense, the IPP and Conservatives eventually found common ground. With an unholy alliance struck, a ceasefire was ordered by both parties to their friends within Ireland, respectively the Irish Volunteers and Ulster Volunteer Force. Despite the protests from the Sinn Féin party over the plans for a partition of Ireland, both the Conservatives and IPP defended their decision – with members of the Liberal party themselves coming forward to support the partition. 

The debate had raged on for too long, but headway had finally been made. A vote was called over the proposal, known informally as simply “War the Centrals”. Almost the entirety of the Conservative Party and Irish Parliamentary Party voted for, with their deal standing strong. Support was lukewarm from the Liberal Party, where although many votes against, there was a considerable number for. The Labour party themselves were split, but not between for and against, but rather against or abstaining. Sinn Féin themselves had followed the path of the Labour Party, resolutely opposing the war. The tally was counted, with a majority of 391 for; 173 against; and 76 abstained votes. The sphere was tense in Commons after this vote, and the Prime Minister shortly adressed the Members of Parliament. He thanked them for "Saving the country", "Leaving the past behind", and "Fighting the good fight". The remaining process consisted of formalities: The House of Lords approved it and King George V assented it and later that day declared that the British Empire was in a state of war with Germany, the Habsburg Empire, the Ottoman Empire and Scandinavia, joining a Russia that was on the verge of crumbling and a France that was now showing troubles holding their positions in what was certainly a turning point in the history of Great Britain and the world.