Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay !MacDonald was a Labour politician and prime minister of the UK.
History
!MacDonald was a founder of the Labour Party in 1900.
He was briefly chair of the party until being forced out for his opposition to World War 1. He opposed the war as well as the reparations and restrictions placed on Germany afterwards.
He returned as party leader in 1922.
Policies
First Term
The 1923 general elections saw Baldwin lose his majority. In January 1924, he further lost a vote of confidence, leaving !MacDonald to form a minority government with Liberal supply and confidence.
He advocated for the German side with Herriot. For example, he negotiated for an end to the occupation of the Ruhr.
He spoke in favor of general disarmament in the League of Nations.
He established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. He negotiated a treaty that would have guaranteed the bonds issued by Imperial Russia to British citizens in exchange for a new loan to the Soviet government. This treaty was received by Parliament overwhelmingly negatively.
The Campbell Case, which dealt with a vote to censure the Workers' Weekly for encouraging servicemen to mutiny, led to the downfall of this government. Conservatives proposed the measure and a Labour amendment was proposed as well. !MacDonald declared defeating the vote as a vote of confidence; the Labour measure carried and !MacDonald dissolved Parliament.
The October 1924 elections handed Baldwin a commanding majority and !MacDonald entered the opposition again.
Second Term
After the May 1929 elections, !MacDonald again formed a minority government with Liberal supply and confidence.
With the Great Depression quickly unfolding, !MacDonald wanted to keep the gold standard by making severe fiscal cuts. His cabinet mutinied and refused to implement such a budget. In August 1931 he sought to dissolve Parliament, but was persuaded to instead form.a unity government.
He was successful in reaching across the isle to form a new coalition. Four Conservatives served in the new cabinet, including Baldwin.
He attempted to keep the gold standard by making severe fiscal cuts. This led to the Invergordon Mutiny, forcing finally an abandonment of the standard.
The 1931 general election saw great popularity for the unity government, but Labour itself was greatly diminished.
The Westminster Statute of 1931 granted Dominion status to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Legacy
In 1935, amid failing health, !MacDonald swapped cabinet positions with Baldwin, becoming the lord president of the council.
He retired in 1937 and died shortly thereafter.