Ramsay MacDonald | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Portrait by Walter Stoneman, 1923 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 5 June 1929 – 7 June 1935 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarch | George V | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 22 January 1924 – 4 November 1924 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarch | George V | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 4 November 1924 – 5 June 1929 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarch | George V | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 21 November 1922 – 22 January 1924 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarch | George V | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister |
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Preceded by | H. H. Asquith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Labour Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 22 November 1922 – 1 September 1931 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | J. R. Clynes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | J. R. Clynes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Arthur Henderson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 6 February 1911 – 5 August 1914 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief Whip |
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Preceded by | George Barnes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Arthur Henderson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lord President of the Council | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 7 June 1935 – 28 May 1937 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | The Viscount Halifax | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the House of Commons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 5 June 1929 – 7 June 1935 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 22 January – 3 November 1924 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Stanley Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 22 January – 3 November 1924 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | The Marquess Curzon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Austen Chamberlain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | James McDonald Ramsay 12 October 1866 Lossiemouth, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 9 November 1937 North Atlantic Ocean | (aged 71)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Resting place | Holy Trinity Church, Spynie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party |
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Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 6, including Malcolm, Ishbel, Sheila | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Birkbeck, University of London | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Profession | Politician | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James Ramsay MacDonald FRS (né James McDonald Ramsay; 12 October 1866 – 9 November 1937) was a British statesman[1] and politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the first who belonged to the Labour Party, leading minority Labour governments for nine months in 1924 and again between 1929 and 1931. From 1931 to 1935, he headed a National Government dominated by the Conservative Party and supported by only a few Labour members. MacDonald was expelled from the Labour Party as a result.
MacDonald, along with Keir Hardie and Arthur Henderson, was one of the three principal founders of the Labour Party in 1900. He was chairman of the Labour MPs before 1914 and, after an eclipse in his career caused by his opposition to the First World War, he was Leader of the Labour Party from 1922. The second Labour Government (1929–1931) was dominated by the Great Depression. He formed the National Government to carry out spending cuts to defend the gold standard, but it had to be abandoned after the Invergordon Mutiny, and he called a general election in 1931 seeking a "doctor's mandate" to fix the economy.
The National coalition won an overwhelming landslide and the Labour Party was reduced to a rump of around 50 seats in the House of Commons. His health deteriorated and he stood down as Prime Minister in 1935, remaining as Lord President of the Council until retiring in 1937. He died later that year.
MacDonald's speeches, pamphlets and books made him an important theoretician. Historian John Shepherd states that "MacDonald's natural gifts of an imposing presence, handsome features and a persuasive oratory delivered with an arresting Highlands accent made him the iconic Labour leader". After 1931, MacDonald was repeatedly and bitterly denounced by the Labour movement as a traitor to its cause. Since the 1960s, some historians have defended his reputation, emphasising his earlier role in building up the Labour Party, dealing with the Great Depression, and as a forerunner of the political realignments of the 1990s and 2000s.[2]