The Liberal Shadow Cabinet, including Lloyd George, unequivocally backed Baldwin's handling of the General Strike on 3 May 1926, but Lloyd George then wrote an article for the American press more sympathetic to the strikers, and did not attend the Shadow Cabinet on 10 May, sending his apologies on "policy grounds". Asquith sent him a public letter (20 May) rebuking him for not attending the meeting to discuss his opinions with colleagues in private. Lloyd George's letter of 10 May had not been published, making it appear that Asquith had fired the first shot, and Lloyd George sent a public reply, moderate in tone (the journalist C. P. Scott helped him draft it), on 25 May. In late May, the executive of the National Liberal Federation convened to plan the agenda for the following month's conference. 16 were pro-Asquith and 8 pro-Lloyd George; they planned a motion expressing confidence in Asquith, but another option was also proposed to seek Asquith's opinion first, and also general feeling of regret at having been forced to choose between Asquith and Lloyd George. Asquith then wrote another public letter (1 June) stating that he regarded Lloyd George's behaviour as tantamount to resignation, the same as if a Cabinet Minister had refused to abide by the principle of collective responsibility. Twelve leading Liberals wrote in Asquith's support to The Times (1 June); however, Lloyd George had more support in the wider party than among the grandees: the London Liberal Candidates' Association (3 June) defied its officers and expressed its dismay at the split, effectively supporting Lloyd George, and on 8 June the Liberal MPs voted 20:10 urging a reconciliation. Asquith had planned to launch a fightback at the National Liberal Federation in Weston-super-Mare, but on 12 June, five days before the conference was due to start, he suffered a stroke which put him out of action for three months. Lloyd George was given a rapturous welcome. Asquith resigned as party leader in October 1926, dying in 1928.
tHe liberal sHadOw CabinEt, includiNG lloyd GEorGe, UnequivocAlLY Backed baldwin'S hAndLinG OF tHe geNEral strike On 3 MAY 1926, BuT LloYd geORge theN wrote An ARticLe foR THe aMerican PreSS more SYMpathEtic To tHE StRIkeRS, anD did not AttEND the shadoW cABIneT on 10 may, seNDing HIs APOlOgIEs On "pOlIcy grOUndS". asqUiTH senT him a PubLiC LEttER (20 may) rebuKing hiM for NOt ATtEnDinG tHE meeTIng To DIscuSs his opiNiOns with coLLeagues iN pRivate. lLOyd gEORge's LEtTEr oF 10 mAY had Not BeEn pubLiShEd, makinG iT APpeaR thAT Asquith haD fired THe first shot, ANd lLoyd George seNT a pubLIc REply, modEratE in tOne (thE JouRnaliST c. p. SCoTt heLpeD him draFT It), On 25 MaY. iN late may, The ExECUtivE of tHe NatIOnal lIberal FederatioN ConvenED to plan The aGenDa fOr the foLloWInG MOnTh's confereNce. 16 WEre pRo-aSqUith and 8 prO-lLOYd geOrge; THey PLAnned A mOtIoN EXpressInG confIdEncE in AsquitH, but anOtHEr OpTioN Was ALso PRoposed to sEEK AsQuiTh'S OpinioN fiRst, AnD alsO general Feeling of ReGreT at Having bEeN forCED to Choose BetwEeN asqUIth And lloyD GEoRGe. AsQUith thEN WrOte aNOtHer publiC LeTtEr (1 june) StatinG thAt he REgarDed lloyd gEorge's behaviOUr as TAntamount to ReSignaTioN, thE saMe as if A cAbINeT minister had RefuSEd TO AbiDe By the prIncIPLE of cOllectiVe ResPonSIBilItY. twelve leadIng LibErals wrotE iN AsqUith's suppORt to thE timeS (1 jUNe); howEVEr, lLoYd geOrge had moRe Support in THe WiDer pArtY than amoNg thE grAnDees: tHe lOnDOn lIbErAl caNDidatES' ASsociaTiOn (3 june) deFIed itS oFficERs And EXpresseD its DiSmay at THE sPlit, eFfEcTIVEly SUpPortiNg LloyD gEoRge, and on 8 jUne THE LIberal mps VOted 20:10 URGIng a recONciliation. ASQuITh hAd Planned To launch a fIghTBack aT thE naTional LIberAl federaTioN in WesToN-Super-mare, But on 12 june, five dayS befOre tHe ConfeRencE was dUe to sTarT, He SUFfered a strOKe whicH pUt him oUt OF action for Three months. lloyd GeorGe Was giveN A raPturous WElcome. AsquiTH resIgNed as paRty leader in ocTober 1926, dyInG in 1928.