User:Lozleader/ipg

At Wrekin by-election, February 1920 Bottomley engineered victory of Charles Palmer. Bottomley stated that the electorate was now in favour of "the new independent business government policy" as oppposed to the coalition or the Labour Party. "It is the beginning of a move in which we are going to put forward candidates in almost every by-election.... We hope to form a big independent group in the House. Several mambers of the House of Commons, who are weary of the Coalition, have already intimated their intention of joining up with us." Palmer would be introduced to Commons by Bottomley and Sir Henry Dalziel. Bottomley and Palmer travelled to Stockport to support Captain Alfred Kindell, an unsuccessful Independent candidate at a by-election there in March. At another another by-election at Dartford, Bottomley instead supported the candidature of Colonel R V K Applin of the National Party, a right-wing group that had broken away from the Conservatives. In a leeter to Applin Bottomley stated that "The National Party and my own little independent group are closely allied in political action, and we should be the first to welcome you to the House of Commons. All goes well at Stockport, and I hope Dartford will fall into line." Palmer died suddenly in ??November?? and the ensuing by-election was won by Major General Sir C Townshend, supported by both Bottomley's group and the National Party.

In January 1921 Major Christopher Lowther, Conservative Mp for North Cumberland defected to the independent Group.

Issued a letter to PM on national finance, signed by every member of IPG. Major Christopher Lowther was hon.sec. Staff of all govet depts to be reduced to pre-war levels, payment of war bonus should cease, a number of senior civil servants should resign, remove British miltary forces from all areas where the country had no "interests", no furteher attempt to reduce national debt as tax burden already too high, reparations should be sought from Germany to pay off national debt.

Sir Cecil Beck, Mp for Saffron Walden, and a former Liberal whip left coalition and joined IPG. Stated he intended to stand as an Anti_waste candidate for a London constituency.

The group supported Gen Nicholson (Constitutional Independent Conservative Anti-Waste) at the Westminster Abbey by-election, 1921.

Bottomley stated that "endeavoured to secure men of creative and organising ability, as well as stern advocates of economy"

In a February 1922 blackmail trail it emerged that Bottomley had been fraudently using the funds of the Victory Bond Club that he administered to pay off his personal debts. Following his charging with fraud, Bottomley resigned as Chairman of the IPG.