About
Born in Lossiemouth, Scotland, Ramsay MacDonald was the first Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He left formal schooling at age 12 and worked as a pupil-teacher before moving to London in 1886. A co-founder of the Labour Representation Committee in 1900, he became an MP in 1906 and party leader in 1911. A pacifist, he resigned the leadership in 1914 and lost his seat in 1918. He returned to Parliament in 1922 and formed the first Labour government in 1924. He was Prime Minister again from 1929 to 1935, but broke with his party in 1931 to lead a Conservative-dominated National Government.
* 1866-10-12 — † 1937-11-09
Major works
- Socialism and Society (1905)political essay
- Labour and the Empire (1907)political essay
Key milestones
- 1924Becomes the first Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 22 January.
- 1931Forms a National Government with Conservatives and Liberals, leading to his expulsion from the Labour Party.
- 1930Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Themes
Non-Marxist socialismPacifismSocial reformNational governmentForeign policy
Sources: gov.uk · parliament.uk