Hailsham was a strong supporter of protectionism ( tariffs on goods imported into the British Empire , an aspiration for many Conservatives since Joseph Chamberlain had called for them in 1903 ) . However , he suggested that the Cabinet " agree to differ " on the issue , so that the Conservatives could press on with plans for tariffs , while remaining in coalition with Liberals and National Labour ; the free traders left the coalition once tariff plans had been agreed internationally . Hailsham was one of the ministers representing the National Government at the Ottawa Imperial Economic Conference in 1932 . At Ottawa , Baldwin told his friend Tom Jones , ' the bulk of the negotiations have been done by Neville Chamberlain , “ ably assisted ” ( as the papers would say ) by Hailsham ' , but Baldwin also wryly admitted that he had let those two do the work ' because if they failed the Die-Hards at home would know it was not from half-hearted trying ' ( Jones , 49 – 50 )
Ottawa Imperial Economic Conference
British Empire Economic Conference
Douglas Hogg, 1st Viscount Hailsham