Austen Chamberlain

The Right Honourable Sir Austen Chamberlain (October 16, 1863 – March 17, 1937) was a British statesman and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Late Career

In 1931, Sir Austen returned briefly to government as First Lord of the Admiralty in Ramsay MacDonald's first National Government, but soon retired from government. Over the next six years as a senior backbencher he gave strong support to the National Government but was critical of their foreign policy. In 1935 the government faced a parliamentary rebellion over the Hoare-Laval Pact and Sir Austen believed was asked "to talk about the Foreign Secretaryship" - which he assumed to mean he would be offered the post if he supported the government and it survived. He did indeed support it but afterwards was merely asked his opinion of the suitability of his former Parliamentary Private Secretary Anthony Eden for the post. Winston Churchill claims in his memoirs that had this crisis ended differently Sir Austen may have been called upon as a respected statesman to form a government but this view is not widely supported.

Related Topics:
1931 - First Lord of the Admiralty - Ramsay MacDonald's - National Government - Foreign policy - 1935 - Hoare-Laval Pact - Parliamentary Private Secretary - Anthony Eden - Winston Churchill

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