Andrew Bonar Law

That is also probably what the majority of people would ask about him in the present day. He is one of the least well known Prime Ministers.

Bonar Law was actually born in New Brunswick, Canada during 1858. His parents sent him to Scotland to attend public school and later university in Glasgow. After gaining his degree Bonar Law went into business where he made a great deal of money in heavy industry and then banking. He was interested in politics and became an MP for a seat in his adopted home of Glasgow.

These were tough times for the Conservatives in the wake of the Liberal landslide of 1906. When the party needed a new leader five years later he was chosen to do the job much to everybody’s surprise. The two elections of 1910 allowed the Conservatives to regain some seats. Bonar Law did his utmost to stop government policy in Ireland. His actions verged on treason when he backed the Ulster Unionists against the Home Rule Bill.

He took the Conservatives into a war time coalition in 1915. A year later he was promoted to Chancellor of the Exchequer for helping David Lloyd George to become Prime Minister. He was ill during the later years of his life with Austin Chamberlain replacing him as Tory leader.

His political career appeared over before the Tory backbenchers persuaded him to oust Chamberlain and become Prime Minister once Lloyd George had left office. He was only in Downing Street for several months but stepped down just before his death in 1923.

Bibliography

James H (20020 Europe Reborn

Palmowski J (2008) Oxford Dictionary of Contemporary World History