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National Government (1931–1935)

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Fourth MacDonald ministry
1931–1935
Date formed28 October 1931
Date dissolved7 June 1935
People and organisations
Head of stateGeorge V
Head of governmentRamsay MacDonald
Head of government's history1929–1935
Deputy head of governmentStanley Baldwin[note 1]
Total no. of members107 appointments
Member parties
Status in legislatureMajority (coalition)
Opposition partyLabour Party
Opposition leaders
History
Election1931 general election
Legislature terms36th Parliament (UK)
PredecessorThird MacDonald ministry
SuccessorThird Baldwin ministry

The National Government of 1931–1935 was formed by Ramsay MacDonald following his reappointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by King George V after the general election in October 1931.

As a National Government it contained members of the Conservative Party, Liberals, Liberal Nationals and National Labour, as well as a number of individuals who belonged to no political party. In June 1935, MacDonald resigned and was replaced as Prime Minister by Stanley Baldwin.

During the course of the Ministry the ministers from the Liberal Party, led by Sir Herbert Samuel, resigned over the adoption of a protectionist policy caused by the government negotiating the Ottawa Accords in 1932. The other Liberal faction in the Ministry, the Liberal National Party, had accepted the Conservative policy of protectionism before the National government had been formed so its ministers continued in office.

Cabinet

November 1931 – May 1935

Changes

  • June 1932 –   Lord Irwin succeeds Donald Maclean (deceased) as President of the Board of Education
  • September 1932 – Stanley Baldwin succeeds Philip Snowden as Lord Privy Seal, remaining also Lord President. John Gilmour succeeds Herbert Samuel as Home Secretary.   Sir Godfrey Collins succeeds Sir Archibald Sinclair as Scottish Secretary.   Walter Elliot succeeds Gilmour as Minister of Agriculture.
  • December 1933 – Stanley Baldwin ceases to be Lord Privy Seal, and his successor in that office is not in the cabinet. He continues as Lord President.   Kingsley Wood enters the cabinet as Postmaster-General
  • June 1934 –   Oliver Stanley succeeds Henry Betterton as Minister of Labour

Key

List of Ministers

Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.

Office Name Party Dates Notes
Prime Minister,
First Lord of the Treasury
and Leader of the House of Commons 		Ramsay MacDonald style="background-color: Template:National Labour Organisation/meta/color" | National Labour 5 November 1931 – 7 June 1935
Lord Chancellor John Sankey, 1st Baron Sankey style="background-color: Template:National Labour Organisation/meta/color" | National Labour November 1931 created Viscount Sankey 30 January 1932
Lord President of the Council Stanley Baldwin style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
Lord Privy Seal Philip Snowden style="background-color: Template:National Labour Organisation/meta/color" | National Labour 5 November 1931 created Viscount Snowden 24 November 1931
Stanley Baldwin style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 29 September 1932
Anthony Eden style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 31 December 1933
Chancellor of the Exchequer Neville Chamberlain style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 5 November 1931
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury David Margesson style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931
Financial Secretary to the Treasury Walter Elliot style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
Leslie Hore-Belisha style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 29 September 1932
Duff Cooper style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 29 June 1934
Lords of the Treasury Walter Womersley style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 12 November 1931 – 7 June 1935 knighted 1934
Victor Warrender style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 12 November 1931 – 30 September 1932
Geoffrey Shakespeare style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 12 November 1931 – 30 September 1932
Austin Hudson style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 12 November 1931 – 12 April 1935
Lambert Ward style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 12 November 1931 – 1 May 1935
George Davies style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 11 October 1932 – 7 June 1935
James Blindell style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 30 September 1932 – 7 June 1935
James Stuart style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 1 May 1935 – 7 June 1935
Archibald Southby style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 23 April 1935 – 7 June 1935
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Rufus Isaacs style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | Liberal 24 August 1931 – 5 November 1931
John Simon style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 5 November 1931
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Anthony Eden style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
James Stanhope style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 18 January 1934
Secretary of State for the Home Department Herbert Samuel style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | Liberal November 1931
John Gilmour style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 28 September 1932
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department Oliver Stanley style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
Douglas Hacking style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 22 February 1933
Harry Crookshank style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 29 June 1934
First Lord of the Admiralty Bolton Eyres-Monsell style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 5 November 1931
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty Edward Stanley style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931
Civil Lord of the Admiralty Euan Wallace style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries John Gilmour style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
Walter Elliot style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 28 September 1932
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Herbrand Sackville, 9th Earl De La Warr style="background-color: Template:National Labour Organisation/meta/color" | National Labour 10 November 1931
Secretary of State for Air Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 5 November 1931
Under-Secretary of State for Air Philip Sassoon style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
Secretary of State for the Colonies Philip Cunliffe-Lister style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 5 November 1931
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies Robert William Hamilton style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | Liberal November 1931
Ivor Windsor-Clive, 2nd Earl of Plymouth style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 29 September 1932
Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs Jimmy Thomas style="background-color: Template:National Labour Organisation/meta/color" | National Labour November 1931
Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs Malcolm MacDonald style="background-color: Template:National Labour Organisation/meta/color" | National Labour November 1931
President of the Board of Education Donald Maclean style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | Liberal November 1931
Edward Wood, 1st Baron Irwin style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 15 June 1932 succeeded as 3rd Viscount Halifax 19 January 1934
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education Herwald Ramsbotham style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931
Minister of Health Hilton Young style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 5 November 1931
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health Ernest Brown style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 10 November 1931
Geoffrey Shakespeare style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 30 September 1932
Secretary of State for India Samuel Hoare style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
Under-Secretary of State for India Philip Kerr, 11th Marquess of Lothian style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | Liberal 10 November 1931
Rab Butler style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 29 September 1932  
Minister of Labour Henry Betterton style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
Oliver Stanley style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 29 June 1934
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour Robert Hudson style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster J. C. C. Davidson style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931
Paymaster General Ernest Lamb, 1st Baron Rochester style="background-color: Template:National Labour Organisation/meta/color" | National Labour 23 November 1931
Minister for Pensions George Tryon style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Pensions Cuthbert Headlam style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931 Office vacant from 29 September 1932
Postmaster-General Kingsley Wood style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931 Office in Cabinet from 20 December 1933
Assistant Postmaster-General Graham White style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | Liberal November 1931
Ernest Nathaniel Bennett style="background-color: Template:National Labour Organisation/meta/color" | National Labour 21 October 1932
Secretary of State for Scotland Archie Sinclair style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | Liberal November 1931
Godfrey Collins style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 28 September 1932
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland Noel Skelton style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
President of the Board of Trade Walter Runciman style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 5 November 1931
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade Leslie Hore-Belisha style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 10 November 1931
Leslie Burgin style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 29 September 1932
Secretary for Overseas Trade John Colville style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931
Secretary for Mines Isaac Foot style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | Liberal November 1931
Ernest Brown style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 30 September 1932
Minister of Transport James Pybus style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National November 1931
Oliver Stanley style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 22 February 1933
Leslie Hore-Belisha style="background-color: Template:National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)/meta/color" | Liberal National 29 June 1934
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport Ivor Windsor-Clive, 2nd Earl of Plymouth style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 25 November 1931
Cuthbert Headlam style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 29 September 1932 Office vacant 5 July 1934
Secretary of State for War
and Leader of the House of Lords 		Douglas Hogg, 1st Viscount Hailsham style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 5 November 1931
Under-Secretary of State for War James Stanhope, 7th Earl Stanhope style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931
Donald Howard, 3rd Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 24 January 1934
Financial Secretary to the War Office Duff Cooper style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
Douglas Hacking style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 29 June 1934
First Commissioner of Works William Ormsby-Gore style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 5 November 1931
Attorney General William Jowitt style="background-color: Template:National Labour Organisation/meta/color" | National Labour November 1931
Thomas Inskip style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 26 January 1932
Solicitor General Thomas Inskip style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative November 1931
Boyd Merriman style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 26 January 1932
Donald Somervell style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 29 September 1933
Lord Advocate Craigie Aitchison style="background-color: Template:National Labour Organisation/meta/color" | National Labour November 1931
Wilfrid Normand style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 2 October 1933
Douglas Jamieson style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 28 March 1935
Solicitor General for Scotland Wilfrid Normand style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 10 November 1931
Douglas Jamieson style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 2 October 1933
Thomas Cooper style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 15 May 1935
Treasurer of the Household Frederick Thomson style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 12 November 1931
George Penny style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 1 May 1935
Comptroller of the Household Walter Rea style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | Liberal 12 November 1931
George Penny style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 30 September 1932
Victor Warrender style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 1 May 1935
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household George Penny style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 12 November 1931
Victor Warrender style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 30 September 1932
Lambert Ward style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 1 May 1935
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms George Bingham, 5th Earl of Lucan style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 12 November 1931
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard Donald Howard, 3rd Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 12 November 1931
Lords in Waiting Arthur Chichester, 4th Baron Templemore style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 12 November 1931 – 24 January 1934
Henry Gage, 6th Viscount Gage style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 12 November 1931 – 7 June 1935
Wentworth Beaumont, 2nd Viscount Allendale style="background-color: Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color" | Liberal 12 November 1931 – 28 September 1932
Geoffrey FitzClarence, 5th Earl of Munster style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 24 January 1934 – 7 June 1935
Charles Duncombe, 3rd Earl of Feversham style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | Conservative 24 January 1934 – 7 June 1935

Notes

  1. ^ According to Eccleshall & Walker (2002:273) and Stanton (2000:26), Baldwin was the effective deputy prime minister in the Conservative-dominated Cabinet. He served as Lord President of the Council.

References

  • Bassett, Reginald. 1931 Political Crisis (2nd ed., Aldershot: Macmillan 1986) ISBN 0-566-05138-9
  • Butler, David, and G. Butler, Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900–2000
  • Eccleshall; Walker, Robert, eds. (June 2002). Biographical Dictionary of British Prime Ministers. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-66231-9. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Hattersley, Roy. Borrowed Time: The Story of Britain Between the Wars (2008) pp 143–72.
  • Howell, David. MacDonald's Party: Labour Identities and Crisis, 1922–1931 (Oxford U.P. 2002). ISBN 0-19-820304-7
  • Hyde, H. Montgomery. Baldwin: The Unexpected Prime Minister (1973)
  • Jenkins, Roy. Baldwin (1987) excerpt and text search
  • Marquand, David. Ramsay MacDonald (1977)
  • Mowat, Charles Loch. Britain between the Wars: 1918–1945 (1955) PP 413–79
  • Raymond, John, ed. The Baldwin Age (1960), essays by scholars 252 pages; online
  • Skidelsky, Robert. Politicians and the Slump: the Labour Government of 1929–1931. (1967.)
  • Smart, Nick. The National Government. 1931–40 (Macmillan 1999) ISBN 0-333-69131-8
  • Stanton, Philip (2000). Britain 1905–1951. Nelson Thornes. ISBN 978-0-7487-4517-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Taylor, A.J.P. English History 1914–1945 (1965) pp 321–88
  • Thorpe, Andrew. The British general election of 1931 (Oxford UP, 1991).
  • Thorpe, Andrew. Britain in the 1930s. The Deceptive Decade, (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992). ISBN 0-631-17411-7
  • Williamson, Philip. National Crisis and National Government. British Politics, the Economy and the Empire, 1926–1932, (Cambridge UP, 1992). ISBN 0-521-36137-0


Preceded by Government of the United Kingdom
1931–1935 		Succeeded by
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