... (who was in charge of the empire) adamant that tariff reforms were needed to strengthen the empire and C.T. Ritchie (Chancellor of the Exchequer) who makes it clear that he believes an imperial tariff is not needed. This split shows to the electorate a side of the conservatives that they are not used to seeing and so to the electorate this split had a massive impact as the conservatives had always appeared united 'It was clear that all unity in government had been lost much for Balfour's skill he managed to ward off the disintegration of his cabinet' (wood), This looses the conservatives some of their public support and helps in the 'crushing' defeat suffered in 1906. Arthur Balfour had never led a party when he took over the conservatives in July 1902 and it can be said that he was just 'not up to the job' and this ...

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