BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

99
The exact extent of League complicity in illegal
practices is
difficult to assess, particularly given the highly partisan nature of
its accusers.
Certainly the League as a whole intended to operate
within the confines of the law.
From the above descriptions of League
canvassing and election practices, however, it is clear that several of
their procedures were at least potentially in conflict with the law.
By placing Habitations directly at the disposal of local agents during
election times, the League raised questions concerning its professed
independent status. The Grand Council itself speculated that in
instances where Habitations demanded political allegiance as a
criterion of membership, they were in violation of the law and took
steps to end the practice.31
Overall, the imprecise definition of agency permitted the
League to exercise enormous discretion in its activities and as Gyn
noted, the result was that "at times the League in effect took over
candidates' treating expenses."32 Whatever the limitations of the
Corrupt Practices Act, its benefits were immediately felt. By
November, 1885 direct election costs incurred by political parties had
declined by seventy-five percent when compared with comparable 1880
figures.33
The League's methods, like its appeal, were transitional in
character, straddling older crumbling forms of deference with the newly
31 Minutes of the Grand Council of the Primrose League, 3
March 1887.
32 Gyn, Democracy and the Cost of Politics in Britain, p. 127.
33 O'Leary, The Elimination of Corrupt Practices in British
Elections, p. 231.