MacDonald, Prime Minister James Ramsay

This man is not associated with being a citizen of Leicester, more as a Scottish Prime Minster, and the first to be a member of the Labour Party. He was born 12th October 1866, in Lossiemouth and Banderburgh, Scotland. He moved to London when he was 18, and became involved in many socialist organisations. He was one of the founders of the Labour Party in 1900. He was elected to the House in 1906 as the member for Leicester. In 1911 he became the chairman of the Labour Party, but however he resigned in 1914.

MacDonald was against the war. He resigned from the chairmanship because his own party refused to oppose the war. He was not popular, and it has been said that he brought disgrace on himself and the city. He lost his seat in 1918 after the war.

However, four years later he regained his seat and became party leader. However, he was no longer the member for Leicester. On January 4th 1924, he became Prime Minister. By the end of November in the same year, he had lost his position.

He became Prime Minister again in 1929, and was confronted by the depression in the country. He resigned due to this in 1931. The next day, he formed a coalition government supported by the Conservatives and the Liberals. This was his fall from grace in the Labour Party. He resigned due to ill health in 1935, and served as Lord President of the Council on Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin’s cabinet until his death in 1937.

By Thomas J Williams