biography
| name: |
MacDonald, (James) Ramsay
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| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1866–1937)
|
| biography:
| British statesman and prime minister (1924, 1929–31, 1931–5), born in Lossiemouth, Moray, NE Scotland, UK. He had little formal education, worked as a clerk, then joined the Independent Labour Party in 1894, eventually becoming its leader (1911–14, 1922–31). He became an MP in 1906, and was prime minister and foreign secretary of the first British Labour government. He met the financial crisis of 1931 by forming a largely Conservative ‘National’ government, most of his party opposing; and in 1931 reconstructed it after a general election. Defeated as an MP by Shinwell in 1935, he returned to parliament in 1936, and became Lord President. |
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