to tenantry leading to boycotts and cattle-driving. The damage done to unionist farms and farmers was frightening. MacDonnell continually urged compromise, but Long ignored him. The dispute with Lords Dudley and Dunraven dragged on into August 1905, with their attitude of intransigence towards Long's attempts at Unionist reform, and obedience to the law. On 25 May 1905, the issues were discussed in the Commons. He wished to strengthen Unionism; but both Dudley and Long appealed to Balfour for adjudication. Balfour opined that the Chief Secretary was both in the Commons and in the cabinet so Dudley had to be content that the power of the Lords was waning. During the last quarter of 1905, Long advised the postponement of dissolution, as it would hit Unionists hard in "the Country" and would hand numerous electorates to radicals. He warned of the loss of seats of Bristol West and South. In December 1905, true to his word, he himself was defeated by 2,692 votes. Long continued to distrust 'Birmingham & Co' as he called Chamberlain's struggle for a policy of Tariff recognition, which was already driving the party away from the Free Trade north. Nonetheless, he continued to co-operate transnationally with conservative parties in Germany, such as Reichspartei right up until the second Moroccan crisis in 1911. Unionist in opposition Nonetheless, Long's parliamentary career was far from finished. He was also nominated as Unionist candidate for South Dublin in 1906, winning by 1,343 votes. Long became one of the leading opposition voices against the Liberal plans for Home Rule in Ireland. At this stage the Irish Unionist Party's leadership was still in the hands of his friend Edward Saunderson, who was far from energetic, unhelpfully described as "devoid of business capacity". The dispute with MacDonnell was carried on in the pages of The Times - Long trying to galvanise Unionist opinion in both England and Ireland. Balfour, Jack Sandars (Balfour's private secretary), and Wyndham all thought he had been duped by Unionism "where his vanity and hopes are concerned", characterising the Chief Secretary as easily manipulated. In October 1906, Saunderson died, and Long was chosen as the new Chairman of Irish Unionist Alliance (IUA) - aimed at closer co-operation between northern and southern parties. Three months later, he was also elected as Chairman of the Ulster Unionist Council (UUC). In 1907, he formed the Union Defence League (UDL) as a support in