Andrew Bonar Law

Andrew Bonar Law (bŏn´ər), 1858–1923, British statesman, b. Canada. He went to Scotland as a boy and in 1900, after a business career, was elected to Parliament as a Conservative. He soon became known as a spokesman for tariff reform. In 1911 he succeeded Arthur Balfour as leader of the Conservative party. Working closely with Sir Edward Carson, ...

Andrew Bonar Law (bŏn´ər), 1858–1923, British statesman, b. Canada. He went to Scotland as a boy and in 1900, after a business career, was elected to Parliament as a Conservative. He soon became known as a spokesman for tariff reform. In 1911 he succeeded Arthur Balfour as leader of the Conservative party. Working closely with Sir Edward Carson, he led the fierce opposition to Irish Home Rule that carried Ireland to the brink of civil war. During World War I he was colonial secretary (1915–16) in Herbert Asquith's coalition cabinet and then (1916) became chancellor of the exchequer and leader of the House of Commons under David Lloyd George. He resigned party leadership in 1921, but in 1922 he returned to politics to lead the Conservative revolt against the continuation of the wartime coalition. He became (Oct., 1922) prime minister but had to resign the following May because of ill health.

See biography by R. Blake (2 vol., 1955–56).