Ramsay MacDonald

James Ramsay MacDonald FRS (né James McDonald Ramsay; 12 October 1866 – 9 November 1937) was a British politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times. He helped to build the Labour Party and became its first Prime Minister in 1924. His third period as Prime Minister was during the crisis of the Great Depression, when he formed a "National Government" in which a majority of MPs were from the British Conservative Party. He was expelled from the Labour Party.

The Right Honourable Ramsay MacDonald MP FRS
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 5 June 1929 – 7 June 1935
Monarch	George V
Preceded by	Stanley Baldwin
Succeeded by	Stanley Baldwin
In office 22 January 1924 – 4 November 1924
Monarch	George V
Preceded by	Stanley Baldwin
Succeeded by	Stanley Baldwin
Leader of the Opposition
In office 4 November 1924 – 5 June 1929
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	Stanley Baldwin
Succeeded by	Stanley Baldwin
In office 21 November 1922 – 22 January 1924
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Bonar Law Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	H. H. Asquith
Succeeded by	Stanley Baldwin
Leader of the Labour Party
In office 22 November 1922 – 1 September 1931
Deputy	John Robert Clynes
Preceded by	John Robert Clynes
Succeeded by	Arthur Henderson
In office 6 February 1911 – 5 August 1914
Chief Whip	George Henry Roberts Arthur Henderson
Preceded by	George Barnes
Succeeded by	Arthur Henderson
Lord President of the Council
In office 7 June 1935 – 28 May 1937
Prime Minister	Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	Stanley Baldwin
Succeeded by	The Viscount Halifax
Leader of the House of Commons
In office 5 June 1929 – 7 June 1935
Preceded by	Stanley Baldwin
Succeeded by	Stanley Baldwin
In office 22 January 1924 – 3 November 1924
Preceded by	Stanley Baldwin
Succeeded by	Stanley Baldwin
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
In office 22 January 1924 – 3 November 1924
Preceded by	The Marquess Curzon
Succeeded by	Austen Chamberlain
Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities
In office 31 January 1936 – 9 November 1937
Preceded by	Noel Skelton
Succeeded by	Sir John Anderson
Member of Parliament for Seaham
In office 30 May 1929 – 14 November 1935
Preceded by	Sidney Webb
Succeeded by	Emanuel Shinwell
Member of Parliament for Aberavon
In office 15 November 1922 – 30 May 1929
Preceded by	John Edwards
Succeeded by	William Cove
Member of Parliament for Leicester
In office 8 February 1906 – 14 December 1918 Serving with Henry Broadhurst, Franklin Thomasson, Eliot Crawshay-Williams, Sir Gordon Hewart
Preceded by	John Rolleston Henry Broadhurst
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	James MacDonald Ramsay (1866-10-12)12 October 1866 Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland, UK
Died	9 November 1937(1937-11-09) (aged 71) Atlantic Ocean (on holiday aboard the ocean liner Reina del Pacifico)
Resting place	Spynie Cemetery, Morayshire
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour (until 1931) National Labour (from 1931)
Spouse(s)	Margaret Gladstone ​ ​ (m. 1896; died 1911)​
Children	6, including: Malcolm MacDonald Ishbel MacDonald
Parents	John MacDonald Anne Ramsay
Alma mater	Birkbeck, University of London
Profession	Politician
Signature

MacDonald was an illegitimate child. He was born in Lossiemouth, Scotland. He graduated from elementary school and then high school.

Later he worked as a teacher for some time in his high school. In 1885, MacDonald became a member of the Social Democratic Federation.

In 1886, he moved to London, where he became an accountant. On November 13, 1887, MacDonald witnessed Bloody Sunday, after which he published a pamphlet. For some time, MacDonald was also interested in Scottish politics among Scots in London and spoke in support of Scotland for Scotland. At the same time, MacDonald received an evening education at the Birkbeck Literary and Scientific Institution, but shortly before the exams he had to give up his education due to nervous exhaustion.

As Prime Minister

The main achievement of the first MacDonald government was the realization by the British that Labour did not intend to carry out radical changes, but was ready to act for the common good. At the same time, due to lack of public support and a lack of seats in the House of Commons, Labour had not been able to do much of what it had said it would do - in particular, there was no widespread nationalization and community service.