About this Event
James Ramsay MacDonald, Labour’s first Prime Minister, is often vilified as a traitor for abandoning the second Labour Government in 1931 and becoming Prime Minister of a National Government, thus setting back Labour for a generation. This event is one of the most important events in the history of the British Labour Party and earned MacDonald the appellation of ‘traitor’ and the reflection of him that ‘'having been born a socialist he died a bloody Tory”. Yet MacDonald was one of the lionesque figures of the Labour Party in the early twentieth who century, who did much to shape the present day Labour Party. Why then did he ‘betray’ Labour in 1931? This lecture looks at MacDonald’s political career, attempts to explain the actions he took in 1931, and suggests that it is a travesty to suggest that he should alone be burdened with the responsibility of ditching the Labour government.
About the Speaker
Professor Keith Laybourn is a Visiting Professor in History in the School of Humanities at York St John University. He is a leading expert in the history of the Labour Party and working class cultures.
Please note that this event is not suitable for people under the age of 18.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
York St John University, De Grey Lecture Theatre, Lord Mayor's Walk, York, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
