1930 Imperial Conference

1930 Imperial Conference
Host country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Date 1 October 1930–
14 November 1930
Cities London
Heads of State or Government 8
Chair Ramsay MacDonald (Prime Minister)
Follows 1926
Precedes 1932
Key points
Imperial preference, Statute of Westminster 1931

The 1930 Imperial Conference was the seventh Imperial Conference bringing together the Prime Ministers of the dominions of the British Empire. It was held in London.[1] The conference was notable for producing the Statute of Westminster, which established legislative equality for the self-governing Dominions of the British Empire with the United Kingdom, thereby marking the effective legislative independence of these countries, either immediately or upon ratification.[1] Economic relations within the British Empire was also a key topic with proposals for a system of Imperial preference - empire-wide trade barriers against foreign (i.e. non-empire) goods. These proposals were further discussed at the British Empire Economic Conference in 1932.

The Conference

The conference was hosted by King-Emperor George V, with his Prime Ministers and members of their respective cabinets:

Nation Name Portfolio
United Kingdom United Kingdom Ramsay MacDonald Prime Minister (Chairman)
Australia Australia James Scullin Prime Minister
Canada Canada R. B. Bennett Prime Minister
British Raj India William Wedgwood Benn Secretary of State
Irish Free State Irish Free State W. T. Cosgrave President
Dominion of Newfoundland Newfoundland Richard Squires Prime Minister
New Zealand New Zealand George Forbes Prime Minister
South Africa South Africa J. B. M. Hertzog Prime Minister

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Marshall, Sir Peter (September 2001). "The Balfour Formula and the Evolution of the Commonwealth". The Round Table 90 (361): pp. 541–53. doi:10.1080/00358530120082823.