Defence of the Realm Act

On the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the Liberal Government headed by Herbert Asquith persuaded Parliament to pass the Defence of the Realm Act. This gave the government emergency powers to requisition property, apply censorship, and control labour. This removed traditional civil liberties. John Hodge, a Labour Party MP and trade union leader, became unpopular with some sections of the community when as Minister of Labour in 1916, he made it clear that he was willing to use the Defence of the Realm Act against strikers. The act was replaced by the 1920 Emergency Powers Act. This gave the sovereign power to declare an emergency by proclamation.

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