Independence rally at south Wales statue of famous Llandinam industrialist and unionist

Organisers of a pro-independence event in Barry will meet in the shadow of a statue of David Davies, Llandinam's most famous son and Victorian age industrialist and politician.

In Barry he is renowned as the founder of the docks which made the town famous across the world.

It is perhaps interesting to wonder what Davies would have made of the pro-independence movement in his homeland having been a staunch Unionist throughout his life.

Indeed his support for the union as MP for Cardiganshire in 1885 had helped establish the Liberal Unionist party in 1886 following a great political falling out in the Liberal ranks.

Davies broke with Liberal party leader and Prime Minister William Gladstone over the issue of home rule for Ireland and at the 1886 general election he stood as a Liberal Unionist candidate, having initially indicated that he would retire from politics.

David Davies.

David Davies.

The new Liberal Unionist party allied with the Conservative party in opposing Gladstone, who had then been in his fourth term as British Prime Minister.

The election split the Liberal party in Cardiganshire and the election was hotly contested with almost all the landowners, including those previously regarded as having Liberal sympathies, supporting Davies.

He also received the support of several prominent Liberals, especially from his own Methodist denomination.

Eventually Davies was defeated by William Bowen Rowlands, the Gladstonian Liberal candidate, by a mere nine votes, a result which was largely attributed to the influence of nonconformist ministers over their congregations.

Davies withdrew from political life after his defeat in 1886.

The political impact of the Liberal Unionist breakaway marked the end of the long 19th century domination by the Liberal party of the British political scene.

From 1830 to 1886 the Liberals had managed to become almost the party of permanent government with just a couple of Conservative interludes but after it was the Conservatives who enjoyed this position and they received a huge boost with their electoral and political alliance with disaffected Liberals like David Davies who died in Llandinam four years later.