First government (1924) Ramsay MacDonald

ramsay macdonald solomon joseph solomon, 1911

he had never held office demonstrated energy, executive ability, , political astuteness. consulted within party, making liberal lord haldane lord chancellor, , philip snowden chancellor of exchequer. took foreign office himself. besides himself, ten other cabinet members came working class origins, dramatic breakthrough in british history. first priority undo damage caused harsh 1919 treaty of versailles, settling reparations issue , coming terms germany. king noted in diary, wishes right thing.... today 23 years ago dear grandmama died. wonder have thought of labour government!

while there no major labour strikes during term, macdonald acted swiftly end did erupt. when labour party executive criticised government, replied that, public doles, poplarism [local defiance of national government], strikes increased wages, limitation of output, not not socialism, may mislead spirit , policy of socialist movement . government lasted 9 months , did not have majority in either house of parliament, still able support unemployed extension of benefits , amendments insurance acts. in personal triumph john wheatley, minister health, housing act passed, expanded municipal housing low paid workers.

foreign affairs

macdonald had long been leading spokesman internationalism in labour movement; @ first verged on pacifism. founded union of democratic control in 1914 promote international socialist aims, overwhelmed war. 1916 book, national defence, revealed own long-term vision peace. although disappointed @ harsh terms of versailles treaty, supported league of nations – 1930 felt internal cohesion of british empire , strong, independent british defence programme might turn out wisest british government policy.

macdonald moved in march 1924 end construction work on singapore military base despite strong opposition admiralty. believed building of base endanger disarmament conference; first sea lord lord beatty considered absence of such base dangerously imperilling british trade , territories east of aden , mean security of british empire in far east being dependent on goodwill of japan.

in june 1924, macdonald convened conference in london of wartime allies , achieved agreement on new plan settling reparations issue , french occupation of ruhr. german delegates joined meeting, , london settlement signed. followed anglo-german commercial treaty. major triumph macdonald conference held in london in july , august 1924 deal implementation of dawes plan. macdonald, accepted popular view of economist john maynard keynes of german reparations impossible pay, pressured french premier Édouard herriot until many concessions made germany.

a british onlooker commented, london conference french man in street 1 long calvary ... saw m. herriot abandoning 1 one cherished possessions of french preponderance on reparations commission, right of sanctions in event of german default, economic occupation of ruhr, french-belgian railroad régie, , finally, military occupation of ruhr within year. macdonald proud of had been achieved, pinnacle of short-lived administration s achievements. in september, made speech league of nations assembly in geneva, main thrust of general european disarmament received great acclaim.

macdonald recognised soviet union , macdonald informed parliament in february 1924 negotiations begin negotiate treaty soviet union. treaty cover anglo-soviet trade , repayment of british bondholders, had lent billions pre-revolutionary russian government , been rejected bolsheviks. there in fact 2 proposed treaties: 1 cover commercial matters, , other cover vague future discussion on problem of bondholders. if treaties signed, british government conclude further treaty , guarantee loan bolsheviks. treaties popular neither conservatives nor liberals, who, in september, criticised loan vehemently negotiation them seemed impossible. however, government s fate determined campbell case , abrogation of prosecuting left-wing newspaper workers weekly inciting servicemen mutiny. conservatives put down censure motion, liberals added amendment. macdonald s cabinet resolved treat both motions matters of confidence. liberal amendment carried, , king granted macdonald dissolution of parliament following day. issues dominated election campaign campbell case , russian treaties combined single issue of bolshevik threat.

zinoviev letter

on 25 october 1924, 4 days before election, daily mail reported letter had come possession purported letter sent grigory zinoviev, president of communist international, british representative on comintern executive. letter dated 15 september , before dissolution of parliament; stated imperative agreed treaties between britain , bolsheviks ratified urgently. letter said labour members apply pressure on government should so. went on resolution of relationship between 2 countries assist in revolutionising of international , british proletariat ... make possible extend , develop ideas of leninism in england , colonies . government had received letter before publication in newspapers , had protested bolsheviks london chargé d affaires , had decided make public contents of letter details of official protest had not been swift-footed enough. historians agree letter forgery, closely reflected attitudes current in comintern. in case, had little impact on labour vote, increased. collapse of liberal party led conservative landslide. however, many labourites years blamed defeat on letter misunderstanding political forces @ work. despite had gone on, result of election not disastrous labour. conservatives returned decisively gaining 155 seats total of 413 members of parliament. labour lost 40 seats held on 151. liberals lost 118 seats (leaving them 40) , vote fell on million. real significance of election liberals, whom labour had displaced second largest political party in 1922, third party.