Changes

In late 1900, Churchill was elected to Parliament as a Conservative. His independent nature soon saw him at odds with his party, and in 1904 he "crossed the floor" to the Liberals, who won a landslide election in early 1906. He served the Liberal government as President of the Board of Trade and Home Secretary, where he helped pass social reform legislation that laid the foundations of the British welfare state.  

In late 1900, Churchill was elected to Parliament as a Conservative. His independent nature soon saw him at odds with his party, and in 1904 he "crossed the floor" to the Liberals, who won a landslide election in early 1906. He served the Liberal government as President of the Board of Trade and Home Secretary, where he helped pass social reform legislation that laid the foundations of the British welfare state.  

When [[Herbert Henry Asquith]] became Prime Minister in 1908, Churchill was promoted to the Cabinet as President of the Board of Trade. Working closely with [[David Lloyd George]] he helped pass major social welfare legislation, called the "New Liberalism.". Churchill focused on the "Trade Boards Bill," a scheme to end the sweatshops in the garment industry; on labour exchanges, designed to reduce unemployment by making job searches easier; and unemployment insurance for 3 million workers in cyclical industries.  He supported Lloyd George's highly controversial "People's Budget" of 1909-10 (with spending increase of 11% and multiple tax increases that especially targeted rich landowners), even as it caused a constitutional crisis with the House of Lords.<ref>Jenkins, ''Churchill'' 157-66; Bruce K. Murray, "The Politics of the 'People's Budget'" ''The Historical Journal'', Vol. 16, No. 3 (Sep., 1973), pp. 555-570 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0018-246X(197309)16%3A3%3C555%3ATPOT'B%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W in JSTOR]</ref>  

When [[Herbert Henry Asquith]] became Prime Minister in 1908, Churchill was promoted to the Cabinet as President of the Board of Trade. Working closely with [[David Lloyd George]] he helped pass major social welfare legislation, called the "New Liberalism.". Churchill focused on the "Trade Boards Bill," a scheme to end the sweatshops in the garment industry; on labour exchanges, designed to reduce unemployment by making job searches easier; and unemployment insurance for 3 million workers in cyclical industries.  He supported Lloyd George's highly controversial "People's Budget" of 1909-10 (with spending increase of 11% and multiple tax increases that especially targeted rich landowners), even as it caused a [[constitutional crisis]] with the House of Lords.<ref>Jenkins, ''Churchill'' 157-66; Bruce K. Murray, "The Politics of the 'People's Budget'" ''The Historical Journal'', Vol. 16, No. 3 (Sep., 1973), pp. 555-570 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0018-246X(197309)16%3A3%3C555%3ATPOT'B%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W in JSTOR]</ref>  

Churchill in 1910 denied that war with Germany was a threat and opposed the tripling of the warship budget proposed by the Admiralty.<ref>Jenkins, ''Churchill,'' 154-56</ref> Churchill generally was on the winning side, though he was beaten on the warships.<ref>Jenkins, ''Churchill, ch 8</ref>   

Churchill in 1910 denied that war with Germany was a threat and opposed the tripling of the warship budget proposed by the Admiralty.<ref>Jenkins, ''Churchill,'' 154-56</ref> Churchill generally was on the winning side, though he was beaten on the warships.<ref>Jenkins, ''Churchill, ch 8</ref>