From January 1910 onwards we had a Government committed to Home Rule, yet so far dependent on us that we could put it out at any moment.
Yet this was by no means an ideal state of affairs.

The Government's weakness was our weakness, and they were liable to the reproach that they never proposed a Home Rule measure except when they could not dispense with the Irish vote.

Still, from this embarrassing position we achieved an extraordinary result.

Right across our path was the obstacle of the House of Lords.

It was not an impassable barrier for measures in which the British working classes were keenly interested--for it let the Trades Disputes Bill go through; but it was wholly regardless of Irish and of Welsh popular opinion.