Editing David Lloyd George (section)

==== Decentralisation and Welsh disestablishment ====
One of Lloyd George's first acts as an MP was to organise an informal grouping of Welsh Liberal members with a programme that included; disestablishing and disendowing the [[Church of England]] in Wales, [[Temperance movement in Wales|temperance]] reform, and establishing [[Welsh home rule]].<ref name="HatterNotAGent"/>{{rp|50}} He was keen on [[decentralisation]] and thus [[Welsh devolution]], starting with the devolution of the [[Church in Wales]] saying in 1890: "I am deeply impressed with the fact that Wales has wants and inspirations of her own which have too long been ignored, but which must no longer be neglected. First and foremost amongst these stands the cause of Religious Liberty and Equality in Wales. If returned to Parliament by you, it shall be my earnest endeavour to labour for the triumph of this great cause. I believe in a liberal extension of the principle of Decentralization."<ref>{{cite web |title=OLCreate: CYM-WH_E1 Sources for Unit 8: Source 8F |url=https://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=55159&section=1.6 |publisher=Open University |access-date=1 March 2022}}</ref>

During the next decade, Lloyd George campaigned in Parliament largely on Welsh issues, in particular for disestablishment and disendowment of the Church of England. When Gladstone retired in 1894 after the defeat of the [[second Home Rule Bill]], the Welsh Liberal members chose him to serve on a deputation to [[William Vernon Harcourt (politician)|William Harcourt]] to press for specific assurances on Welsh issues. When those assurances were not provided, they resolved to take independent action if the government did not bring a bill for disestablishment. When a bill was not forthcoming, he and three other Welsh Liberals ([[D. A. Thomas]], [[Herbert Lewis (politician)|Herbert Lewis]] and [[Frank Edwards (British politician)|Frank Edwards]]) refused the [[Whip (politics)|whip]] on 14 April 1894, but accepted [[Lord Rosebery]]'s assurance and rejoined the official Liberals on 29 May.<ref name=":1"/>