National Unity Government - United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Further information: National Government 1931-1935, National Government 1935-1940

Arguably the first national unity government in any country was the "Ministry of All the Talents" that led the United Kingdom for about a year after the death of William Pitt the Younger in 1806, during the Napoleonic Wars. This ministry had cross-party support, including both very conservative Tories and radical Whigs (among them Charles James Fox), selected for their combined broad political support and known capabilities in a time of crisis. However, the ministry was frustrated in its attempts to make peace with France, and despite one major legislative success (banning the slave trade in Britain), it ultimately fell apart in 1807 over the question of Catholic Emancipation and was replaced by a partisan Tory ministry led by the Duke of Portland.

The British electoral system is often said to discourage coalitions, but nonetheless national governments were formed during World War I and World War II. The coalition under David Lloyd George lasted until 1922 . During the Great Depression a coalition termed a National Government was formed in 1931 between Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald and the Conservatives and Liberals. Most members of the Labour Party rejected the government, however, and moved to the opposition benches leaving MacDonald and his supporters to stand as National Labour. This coalition had some support from National Liberals, also, with the disarray of the Liberal Party of the time; it took in broader support in the war years, and nominally persisted until the general election of 1945.