= Arthur Balfour = '''Arthur Balfour''' was a [[UnitedKingdom/ConservativeParty|Conservative]] politician, member of the [[UnitedKingdom/Parliament|Parliament]], and [[UnitedKingdom/PrimeMinisters|prime minister]] of the [[UnitedKingdom/Democratization|United Kingdom]]. <> ---- == History == Balfour was the nephew of [[UnitedKingdom/RobertGascoyneCecil|Gascoyne-Cecil]], whom he served as a private secretary and protege in the [[UnitedKingdom/ConservativeParty|Conservative Party]]. He was first elected to the [[UnitedKingdom/Parliament|House of Commons]] in 1874. In 1886 his uncle appointed him to government as the '''secretary for Scotland''', and in the following year he became the '''chief secretary for Scotland'''. Balfour moved to the [[UnitedKingdom/Treasury|Treasury]] in 1891. He is the final '''first lord of the Treasury''' to not simultaneously lead the government. His uncle resigned in 1902, leaving him to succeed leadership of the Conservatives and become prime minister. He inherited the issue of tariff reform, which would continue to fragment the Conservatives for over a decade. He was forced to resign in December 1905 (largely due to the debate over tariff reform), leading to [[UnitedKingdom/HenryCampbellBannerman|Campbell-Bannerman]] calling snap elections for the next month. He then lost his seat in the Parliament, although it was arranged for him to receive a safe seat in a by-election. He continued as the effective leader of the Conservatives until 1911. During [[WorldHistory/WorldWar1|World War 1]], Balfour returned to government as '''foreign secretary'''. Following the 1922 '''Carlton Club meeting''', a backbench revolt against continued participation in the [[UnitedKingdom/DavidLloydGeorge|coalition]], he resigned from government. When the Conservatives won the ensuing election, he was not given a place in [[UnitedKingdom/BonarLaw|Law's]] government. He was however reappointed under [[UnitedKingdom/StanleyBaldwin|Baldwin]] in 1925 and continued to serve until the 1929 election, which the Conservatives lost. Balfour died the next year. ---- CategoryRicottone CategoryTodoLearnHistory