Performing the Office of Prime Minister: Ramsay MacDonald's Premierships in the Theatre of British Politics 1924-1935

Abstract

There is a large body of literature on the office of prime minister, about the roles it performs and how it has developed over time. But what has been underexplored is the role wider publics have played in this development. To address this, this thesis studies Britain’s first Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, and explores how he both shaped and was shaped by these wider publics. As well as through radio and newsreels, the relationship between MacDonald and these publics was mediated primarily through newspapers, the study of which is a key aspect of this thesis. Studying them shows that politics in general and the career of MacDonald in particular were commonly framed in terms of theatre and drama, and that this was true of a wide range of newspapers catering to a wide range of audiences. MacDonald was an avid newspaper reader himself, so we know he was aware of this theatrical framing, too. By studying sources such as his speech notes and diary, we can better understand how he used his natural talents as a performer to inspire particular emotions amongst his audiences, much as in a play. The ability to do so was a source of power allowing him to achieve desired outcomes.

MacDonald is a particularly controversial figure who would benefit from a deeper understanding. His break from the Labour party in 1931, after agreeing to form a National Government with Conservatives, different factions of Liberals, and a handful of Labour MPs, has seen MacDonald cast as a traitor. Despite compelling works by scholars to revise this, his image remains tainted. By framing his premiership as a chronicle drama, a popular genre in the 1920s and 1930s, we can better understand his decision to lead the National Government and his ability to remain prime minister for as long as he did.