James Ramsay MacDonald (MacDonald James Ramsay)

(1866-1937)
Born October 12, 1866 in Lossiemouth (Scotland). Worked as an assistant teacher, clerk, reporter. In 1894, he joined the Independent Labor Party. Later, McDonald was convinced of the need for an independent Labor Party, supported by the TUC. In 1900, when at the initiative of the TUC was established by the Labor Representation Committee to organize the electoral campaign, became his secretary. In 1906, the Committee was renamed the Labor Party. In 1896, McDonald married Mary Gladstone, a distant relative of Prime Minister of Great Britain.
In 1906, McDonald was elected to Parliament in 1911 became the leader of the Labor faction in the House of Commons. In 1914 he made a statement on the erroneous entry of Britain into the war and was dismissed from his post as leader of a faction.

In 1922 he was elected party leader. In January - November 1924 served as Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs. When McDonald France withdrew its troops from the Ruhr area and accepted the terms of the agreement on reparations, and the United Kingdom recognized de jure the USSR.

In the 1924 election won by Conservatives, but in 1929 received a majority of seats Labor and McDonald once again took the post of Prime Minister. McDonald failed to repeal the law in 1927 banning strikes and enter the 7-hour working day for miners. Were only partially fulfilled the promise of housing for workers, slightly expanded the circle of beneficiaries, slightly increased size of the benefits themselves. McDonald tried to prevent the growth of the national liberation movement in India, in convening the conference in 1930-1932 'round table' in London, to discuss the issue of a new constitutional settlement of the colony. At the same time in relation to the dominions Government MacDonald was forced to make major concessions, which found expression in the adoption of the Statute of Westminster 1931. In April 1930 the MacDonald government concluded the Treaty of London on the limitation and reduction of naval armaments, as well as (in the framework of this agreement) a separate agreement between Britain and the United States on limiting naval armaments.

In 1931, because of serious financial difficulties McDonald, along with other Labor leaders left the party and formed a so-called. 'National Government' with the conservatives and liberals part. Remained as Prime Minister until 1935. MacDonald died on board ship en route to South America on Nov. 9, 1937.