Asquith was born in Morley, West Riding of Yorkshire, and studied at Balliol College, Oxford, where he was a contemporary of Edward Grey and Robert Cecil. He was called to the bar in 1876 and quickly established a successful practice. He entered Parliament in 1886 as a Liberal MP for East Fife, and served in various government posts under William Gladstone and Lord Rosebery.
Asquith became Prime Minister in 1908 after the resignation of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. He led the Liberal Party to victory in the general elections of 1910 and 1914. As Prime Minister, Asquith oversaw a number of important social and economic reforms, including the introduction of the National Insurance Act of 1911, which provided unemployment and sickness benefits to workers, and the Parliament Act of 1911, which limited the power of the House of Lords to block legislation passed by the House of Commons.
In 1914, Asquith took Britain into World War I. He faced criticism from some quarters for his handling of the war, and in 1916 he was replaced as Prime Minister by David Lloyd George. Asquith continued to serve in government as Lord Chancellor until 1922, and he was created Earl of Oxford and Asquith in 1925.
Asquith is considered one of the most significant figures in British politics of the early 20th century. He was a skilled orator and debater, and he is remembered for his wit and charm. He was also a respected lawyer and statesman.
Books by Asquith:
- The Life of Henry Fawcett (1889)
- The Victorian Age (1912)
- Fifty Years of British Parliament (1926)
- Memories and Reflections (1928)
- Genesis of the War (1923)