To what extent was the defeat of the Conservatives in the 1906 election due to their poor performance in government?

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Although Britain was seen as a prosperous and great country due to it’s large empire, fantastic navy, technological advances and two thirds of all ships being from Britain, the world power had a very weak government. In their ten years in office the Conservative party didn’t attempt to tackle poverty in London, failed to win the Boer war quickly and efficiently, didn’t aim to help the Chinese slaves and annoyed trade unionists by failure to win the case against The Taff Vale Railway Company. It was originally feared by the government that over 25% of all Londoners lived in dire straits, most living on the streets and having to beg for money. Charles Booth was an English philanthropist and social researcher and conducted an independent survey regarding poverty in London as he wanted to show the government the true amount of people in living in poor conditions. Working with a team of investigators, Booth discovered that 35% of Londoners and about 30% of everybody living in Britain were living in abject living in abject poverty. This shows that the Conservatives were poor in office as it proves they made absolutely no attempt to help people in poverty in the way of providing new houses or offering pensions. A further reason the Conservatives where seen as a weak government was the failure to win the Boer War. Although the government played no direct role in creating tactics etc. it was seen as the government’s fault that the British had no reinforcements for the men who were dying, because back in Britain over 30% of the population was malnourished, ill and weak as they were living in abject poverty. This indicates that the Conservatives were poor in office as it ties back to them failing to conquer poverty because had the people in Britain been healthy and able to fight the Boer war may well have been over faster. The Conservatives also angered trade
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