Catalogue Number
NMLH.1994.168.330
Object Name
Poster
Title
Trade and the Empire John Bull, Lloyd George
Date
1910
Description
Trade and the Empire poster, 1910
The poster, titled Trade and the Empire, shows a character John Bull standing in the background behind a scene depicting Lloyd George givign gold to 'foreigners' (being caricatures representing other key powers in the western world, including 'Uncle Sam' for America). Behind Lloyd George are a group of besuited men. Beneath the image reads:
JOHN BULL: Isn't it time you helped your own people?
LLOYD GEORGE: I can't, I'm too busy helping the foreigners!
CHORUS OF UNEMPLOYED WORKMEN: Now Mr Lloyd George, Can't you help US?"
The poster was printed by the Tariff Reform League, a protectionist pressure group who advocated for imperial preference and protested against what they saw as unfair foreign imports. The League wanted the British Empire to be a single trading bloc, and to impose duties of imports which would be used to duel social reforms.
The reverse of the poster features an inscription reading "Unionist poster General Election January 1910 - Tarriff Reform Pro House of Lords Party". This suggests that the poster was printed ahead of the General Election in January 1910, which was called during a constitutional crisis caused by the rejection of the People's Budget by the House of Lords.
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