The statue of Gladstone that stands in the main library at Hawarden.

Gladstone was sometimes a  contradictory and complex individual- this is part of his fascination- yet he was prophetic, and he foresaw the danger for his beloved Great Britain of incessant imperial expansion.

“And then, with a great empire in each of the four quarters of the world and with the whole new or fifth quarter to ourselves, we may be territorially content,but less than ever at our ease; for if agitators and alarmists can now find at almost every spot “ British Interests “ to bewilder and disquiet us, their quest will then be all the wider “   

As military pressures increased and the clamour for ever more armaments grew noisier than ever previously Gladstone stood out as one who foresaw the end result of the policy of militarism and destructive national confrontation. He chose to finally resign on this moral issue.

“  If I stood alone in the world on this question, I could not be moved: so strongly am I convinced that this large increase to the Navy will lead to disaster in Europe- Europe is my watchword “ 1894