Editing Joseph Chamberlain (section)

====1892 election and return to minority====
In the [[1892 United Kingdom general election|1892 general election]], Gladstone returned to power with a Liberal-Irish Nationalist coalition. The Liberal Unionists did well in Birmingham and made gains in the neighbouring [[Black Country]], and Chamberlain's son Austen entered the House of Commons unopposed for [[East Worcestershire]]. However, the Liberal Unionists were reduced to 47 seats, falling behind in an age of well-organized mass national politics, and Chamberlain's standing was accordingly weakened. Gladstone made no effort to reunite with Chamberlain, and the Liberal Unionists drew closer to the Conservatives.<ref>Ian Cawood, "The 1892 General Election and the Eclipse of the Liberal Unionists," ''Parliamentary History'' (2010) 29#3 pp 331–357.</ref> When Hartington took his seat in the House of Lords as the Duke of Devonshire, Chamberlain assumed leadership of the Liberal Unionists in the House of Commons, beginning a productive relationship with Arthur Balfour, Conservative leader in the Commons.{{sfn|Crosby|2011|p=78}}

Gladstone introduced a [[Second Home Rule Bill]] in February 1893. Although the Bill passed the House of Commons, the Lords rejected Home Rule by a huge margin. With his party divided, Gladstone prepared to [[Dissolution of the Parliament of the United Kingdom|dissolve Parliament]] on the issue of the House of Lords' veto, but was compelled to resign in March 1894 by his colleagues. He was replaced by [[Lord Rosebery]], who neglected the topic of Home Rule. Chamberlain continued to form alliances with the Conservatives.

[[File:Joseph ('Joe') Chamberlain; Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour by Sydney Prior Hall.jpg|thumb|325px|''[[Joseph Chamberlain and Arthur Balfour]]'' by [[Sydney Prior Hall]]. In 1892, Chamberlain became leader of the Liberal Unionists in the House of Commons, beginning a fruitful relationship with Conservative leader and future Prime Minister [[Arthur Balfour]] (right).]]
Chamberlain became concerned about the threat of socialism during this period, although the [[Independent Labour Party]] had only one MP, [[Keir Hardie]]. He sought to divert collectivist energy toward Unionism and continued to propose radical reforms to the Conservatives. In his 1893 "Memorandum of a Programme for Social Reform", Chamberlain made a number of suggestions to Salisbury, including old age pensions, the provision of home loans to the working class, an amendment to the [[Artisans' and Labourers' Dwellings Improvement Act 1875]] to encourage street improvements, compensation for industrial accidents, reduced train fares for workers, tighter border controls, and shorter working hours. Salisbury was guardedly sympathetic. Chamberlain also wrote an unpublished 1895 play, ''The Game of Politics'', characterising socialists as the instigators of class conflict.{{sfn|Jay|1981|p=179}}

On 21 June 1895, the Liberal government was defeated on a motion that criticised the [[Henry Campbell-Bannerman]], [[Secretary of State for War]], for shortages of [[cordite]], and Salisbury was invited to form a government.<ref>{{cite book|author=Heather Gilbert|title=The Life of Lord Mount Stephen: 1691–1921|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1D0aAAAAMAAJ|year=1965|publisher=Aberdeen UP|page=89|isbn=9780900015380}}</ref>