Editing H. H. Asquith (section)

===Leader of the Opposition: 1920–1921===
Paisley was a false dawn, for the Liberals and for Asquith personally. Jenkins wrote that "The post-war Liberal day never achieved more than a grey and short-lived light. By 1924, it was dusk again. By 1926, for Asquith, it was political night."{{sfn|Jenkins|p=489}} Maurice Cowling characterised Asquith at this time as "a dignified wreck, neither effective in the House of Commons nor attractive as a public reputation, (who) drank too much and (who) had lost touch with the movement of events and the spirit of the time."{{sfn|Cowling|p=100}}

Money, or its lack, also became an increasing concern. Margot's extravagance was legendary{{sfn|Clifford|p=460}} and Asquith was no longer earning either the legal fees or the prime ministerial salary they had enjoyed in earlier years. Additionally, there were on-going difficulties with Margot's inheritance.{{sfn|Clifford|p=460}} In 1920, as an economy measure, 20 Cavendish Square was sold{{sfn|Herbert Asquith|p=371}} to [[Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray|Viscountess Cowdray]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/survey-of-london/2016/04/29/cavendish-square-4-no-20-the-royal-college-of-nursing/ |title=Cavendish Square 4: No. 20 (the Royal College of Nursing) &#124; UCL Survey of London |publisher=Blogs.ucl.ac.uk |date=29 April 2016 |access-date=4 August 2016 |archive-date=23 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923041127/https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/survey-of-london/2016/04/29/cavendish-square-4-no-20-the-royal-college-of-nursing/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and Asquith and Margot moved to 44, [[Bedford Square]].{{sfn|Herbert Asquith|p=371}}

Criticism of Asquith's weak leadership continued. Lloyd George's mistress [[Frances Stevenson]] wrote (18 March) that he was "finished ... no fight left in him"; the press baron Lord Rothermere, who had supported him at Paisley, wrote on 1 April of his "obvious incapacity for the position he is expected to fill".{{sfn|Koss|p=249}} In fact Asquith spoke in the House of Commons far more frequently than he had ever previously done when not a minister. He also spoke frequently around the country, in June 1921 topping the Liberal Chief Whip's list of the most active speakers.{{sfn|Jenkins|p=498}} The issue was the quality of his contributions. Asquith still maintained friendly relations with Lloyd George, although Margot made no secret of her enmity for him.{{sfn|Koss|p=250}}

Until the Paisley by-election Asquith had accepted that the next government must be some kind of Liberal-Labour coalition, but Labour had distanced themselves because of his policies on the mines, the [[Polish–Soviet War|Russo-Polish War]], education, the prewar secret treaties and the suppression of the Easter Rebellion.{{sfn|Koss|p=251}} The success of [[Anti-Waste League]] candidates at by-elections made leading Liberals feel that there was a strong anti-Coalition vote which might be tapped by a wider-based and more credible opposition.{{sfn|Jenkins|pp=490–491}} By late June 1921 Asquith's leadership was still under strong attack from within the Wee Free group, although Frances Stevenson's claim in her diary that most of them now wanted Lloyd George as their leader is not corroborated by the report in ''The Times''.{{sfn|Koss|p=252}} Lord Robert Cecil, a moderate and pro-[[League of Nations]] Conservative, had been having talks with Edward Grey about a possible coalition, and Asquith and leading Liberals Crewe, [[Walter Runciman, 1st Viscount Runciman of Doxford|Runciman]] and Maclean had a meeting with them on 5 July 1921, and two subsequent ones. Cecil wanted a genuine coalition rather than a ''de facto'' Liberal government, with Grey rather than Asquith as prime minister, but the Liberals did not, and little came of the plans.{{sfn|Jenkins|pp=491–492}}{{sfn|Koss|p=251}}

Asquith did fiercely oppose "the hellish policy of reprisals" in Ireland, impressing the young [[Oswald Mosley]].{{sfn|Koss|p=252}} J.M. Hogge even urged Sir Donald Maclean (31 August) to "knock Asquith into the middle of next week" and seize back the chairmanship of the Liberal MPs.{{sfn|Koss|p=250}} Late in 1921 the National Liberal Federation adopted an industrial programme without Asquith's agreement.{{sfn|Koss|p=255}} On 24 October 1921 Asquith commented "if one tries to strike a bold true note half one's friends shiver and cower, and implore one not to get in front of the band".{{sfn|Koss|p=250}}