Ramsay MacDonald

James Ramsay MacDonald (1866-1937) became Britain's first Labour Party prime minister in 1924. Although his first government lasted less than a year, he again became prime minister in 1929. The growing world crisis led him to form a coalition government, called the National Government, in 1931: this was supported by the Conservative Party and a significant portion of the Liberal Party but by very few of his Labour Party comrades: ever since, Ramsay MacDonald has been seen as a traitor in socialist circles. He resigned his position as PM in 1935.